31 BOSAI workers at Linden to go home

Last Updated on Thursday, 13 August 2015, 16:11 by GxMedia

At least 31 workers at the Chinese-owned bauxite company in Linden, BOSAI Minerals, are to be sent home on Friday as the company grapples with reduced demand for its products, according to a top union official.

President of the National Association of Agricultural Commercial and Industrial Employees (NAACIE), Kenneth Joseph told Demerara Waves Online News that union officials were Thursday trying to ascertain and identify those workers who are willing to leave the job.

When that is done, Joseph said the company would add the remaining number to reach the target of 31 workers to be let go.

The NAACIE President explained that under the redundancy arrangement, the workers would be given 70 percent of two weeks pay per year. The company has six weeks within which to recall the redundant workers or pay them the remaining 30 percent, said Joseph.

“It’s a compromise because it is human being. Some of them cannot afford to lose their money now so that others can live and those are the people they (BOSAI) decided to call out and get to rock down the meeting on Monday,” he said.                     

The union had so far failed to persuade all of the 500 workers to accept a pay cut by working eight instead of 12 hours to avoid the retrenchment of the workers.

The union boss said currently, only one kiln was processing bauxite ore combined with fewer ships docking at Linden because the Demerara River is too shallow and is in dire need of dredging.

The company had originally wanted to retrench 47 workers.