Job security is threatened in Guyana
Wednesday, January 20th, 2010
The Guyana Power rationing has different proportions compared to other regions, where the plan attempts to address the commercial and residential areas. In addition to this program, the national executive has ordered a 650MW saving in core businesses resulting in less production. The employment consequences of this measure are discussed and at the gates of the factories. The representative of the "outsourced" the Siderurgica del Orinoco (Sidor) reported that to date over 2 thousand workers have been disabled in the steelworks.

What Guiana Plan Socialist?
Participants of the tables socialists recognize faults in the first phase of the plan as the backwardness of the Chinese fund investments via Venezuela. "There are problems, we can not say everything is great," say the workers.

Clavel A. Rangel Jimenez
crangel@correodelcaroni.comEsta email address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
Photo Jose Leal



Outsourced revenue review 60 new, supposedly from the PSUV Job security in Siderurgica del Orinoco (Sidor) is the central issue that occupies the 8 thousand workers hired. Although the government has guaranteed jobs, the "outsourced" doubt the official promises.

According to the accounts of the union contract workers, to date there are approximately 2 thousand disabled by power rationing because of the savings plan applied electric companies in Guyana.

"Companies are pulling machinery all your equipment, and workers are fixing. There we have workers who have up to 12 years in the plant and not fair. "

The union concern detonates by the number of workers unemployed. "We note with concern the energy problem, because this is going to explode by the thinner twine, because we have a collective agreement.

According to the approach of Bastard, have been told the workers that the Corporacion Venezolana de Guayana (CVG) will assume the payroll earnings.

The affected group would be working in the mills, pre-reduced, HYL.

"There are several contractors who were ordered to get crews from six to three. These three crews were out going to re-enter payroll but paid for by the CVG, "said Bastard.

Posed to work management of a parent company Sidor handle all recruits so that they can discuss a collective agreement.

"I make a call to all unions of enterprises, we have to unite, it is not right that he has fallen Corpoelec energy, we are significantly affected by production."

Guaranteed Stability
The chief executive of Sidor, Miguel Alvarez, denied that to date has 2 thousand disabled in the steelworks. In a telephone conversation with the Correo del Caroni official explained that the steelmaker is seeking the best methods to ensure that no worker loses his job.

"There are several battle scenarios, but so far there is no contract that has come to say I can not assume the payroll. The workers, who can be sure that the state will not allow there to be job insecurity. "

Alvarez said that Sidor not dispense with his staff recruited, much less of suppliers and contractors. In general, the chief executive, has called for calm in the working masses and a lot of information to avoid rumors of passage.

As for the possibility that Sidor and CVG take payrolls, said that the steel can not subsidize companies, but stressed that this scenario has not been presented because the contractors have taken responsibility.

"We do not anticipate that any of the Sidor workers quit," he said Alvarez and reported that, in less than seven weeks, Sidor could be operating 100% with contract staff, as has normally been.

As for the import of billets, Alvarez said of not having power plants before seven weeks scheduled, will import 30 to 50 thousand tons to keep operating the bar mill. The maximum head of Sidor denied that there are problems with customers, since until now have used the inventory in December, "still no client has been impacted."

Inevitably affected
For the president of Fedeindustria, Manuel Marquez, it is inevitable that workers hired not suffer the consequences of electricity rationing in Sidor. He explained that two types of contracts, labor and management in the steel called "aggregate."

In this regard stated that workers covered by the latter type of contract will be irreparably affected, as the legal conditions of this document, says that is canceled for work performed. "If we could not execute a job, you can not check, and if you can not bill you can not pay."

For the union leader's only way out is to visit contractors Labor Inspectorate and processing a suspension from work, so that, once resumed the work, to rebuild in the steel.

According to information provided by one of the contractors, who are responsible for collection in the steel slag, Sidor had proposed to cover costs of 196 workers who are hired in that area.

More EmpreSidor Violation

Juan Torrealba, EmpreSidor worker, reported the failure of employees by the company since December.

"We produce 1,500 million, but they take away the holy of 5%, in total we are left with 700 million, to pay a 200-odd workers. In December we perceive nothing gave us 2 thousand Bolivars and then more nothing. "

Torrealba said that everything has been a failure because Sidor is who puts who sets salaries and profits. "That was the biggest deception we have," he told the employee from the gate IV of Sidor.

On 29 September 2008, according to a note from ABN, Miguel Alvarez-Sidor, chief executive explained that "EmpreSidor" some small agglomerates socialist enterprises, where workers own labor. "If I was paying a contract (contractor), I get my contract and pay for workers with the same tab of Sidor" he said.