…Bosai workers take to the streets, demanding 10% increase in pay
By Svetlana Marshall
Workers at Bosai Minerals Group Guyana Incorporated (BMGGI), on Thursday, initiated protest action against the management of the Linden-based bauxite company demanding a 10% increase in wages and salaries.
Outside of the company’s Mackenzie, Linden worksite, a number of disgruntled workers were seen armed with placards, demanding a 10% increase in wages and salaries. One placard read “No Money, No Work” while another read “5% CAN’T wok.”
Colin Adams, a workers’ representative, told Village Voice News that on April 1, 2021, the Management of Bosai commenced negotiation with the National Association of Agricultural, Commercial and Industrial Employees (NAACIE), however, to date no agreement has been reached.
“The company is offering us 5.5% this year and 6.5% next year…but we are saying that can’t work,” Adams said.
According to him, in 2019 and 2020, the bauxite employees received 6.5% increase annually, however, the company is now proposing a lower percentage.
“For two years, we had 6.5%…and now they want to offer us a lesser percentage this year, 5.5% this year, and 6.5% next year. We’re asking for 10% and if they can’t give us 10%, we shall come down to as low as 8.5%,” he told Village Voice News.
Adams said too that the workers are also demanding their benefits and better working conditions. He noted that a large percentage of the workers are on contract.
