GTUC Condemns Aurora Goldfield Worker Abuse, Calls for Immediate Enforcement of Labour Laws

The Guyana Trades Union Congress (GTUC) has sharply condemned reports of severe worker mistreatment at the Zijin Mining Aurora Goldfield operation, describing the conditions as “appalling” and “an indictment of a system that continues to treat Guyanese workers as disposable in their own homeland.” In a statement issued on November 27, the union highlighted underpaid wages, lack of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), unsafe working conditions, and inadequate food as ongoing issues affecting labourers at the site.

GTUC praised public outrage over the situation, stating that citizens who spoke out “have done the nation a great service, and their vigilance must not be taken lightly.” The federated body stressed that for years it has called on the government to enforce labour standards across all sectors, but conditions remain “nothing short of disgraceful in this resource-rich country.”

While Minister of Labour and Manpower Planning Keoma D. Griffith has pledged an investigation, GTUC warned that prior governments have repeatedly failed to protect workers’ rights. “Minister Griffith, unlike his predecessor Joe Hamilton, must move beyond announcements and deliver a concrete, enforceable national policy that will stamp out these abusive practices and hold violators accountable without fear or favour,” the institution said.

GTUC also urged workers to organise collectively, emphasising that “the Constitution of Guyana is explicit in guaranteeing the rights to organise, engage in collective bargaining, and withdraw labour under poor working conditions.” The federated body stressed that these are not privileges but enforceable rights that workers must use to protect themselves.

The Union further called on political opposition parties to maintain pressure, warning that “a piecemeal or reactive approach to matters of this gravity is unacceptable. The Minister, an attorney-at-law, must be fully aware of the rights of workers and his obligations as an officer of the court and of the state.”

Highlighting the public’s response to the Aurora abuses, GTUC said it was encouraged by the “militancy and solidarity displayed” and reaffirmed its support for the affected workers. Concluding the statement, the Union declared: “GTUC stands firmly with the workers at Aurora and demands immediate corrective action, strict enforcement of labour laws, and an end to the systemic exploitation of Guyanese labour. The time for excuses is over. The time for action is now.”