Guyana’s Labour Ministry steps in to end dispute

Guyana\'s Labour Ministry has intervened in a pay dispute between bauxite workers and their employer United Rusal.



The workers took strike action for several days in an attempt to get the company’s management to pay a 10 per cent retroactive pay increase owed to them.



Their union said the management has been reluctant to say when the money will actually be paid out.



Union representatives have raised concerns that United Rusal wants to lay off 75 workers and wants to force the union to sign an agreement approving the lay off as part of the pay-deal.



However acting General Secretary of the Guyana Bauxite and General Workers Union, Leslie Gonsalves said that is a violation of local labour laws and the collective labour agreement.