CVG union officials seeking backhanders simply to go away and keep quiet

<a href=www.vheadline.com>Venezuela's Electronic News Posted: Tuesday, June 03, 2003 By: David Coleman

Venezuelan Guayana Corporation (CVG) officials are denying disinformation published in Correo del Caroni, Monday, in which it is claimed that gold mine workers are threatening to pull out of Las Cristinas operations claiming that Canada-based Crystallex International (KRY) has reneged on a collective wage contract.

Union leader Joel Alvarez said the workers would begin an indefinite work stoppage but CVG officials say Crystallex is not involved in the dispute, although "darker domestic political interests" are attempting to link it to the dispute to garner foreign press coverage.

A CVG source told VHeadline.com this morning that a residue of some 24 workers who were due to be transferred from Mineras Las Cristinas (MINCA) late last year, are in dispute with Venezuela's heavy industry conglomerate over details in the transfer but that negotiations had been gridlocked partly due to the December/January national stoppage and union demands for payment above and beyond the national minimum wage (Bs.8,000 per day).

Labor Ministry officials have attempted to mediate in the dispute which focuses more on a political power struggle at local or regional level than any serious wage or conditions demand.  The union finds itself splintered after the abortive national stoppage and has not been able to find much financial support from the now almost bankrupted Confederation of Venezuelan Trade Unions (CTV) whose president, Carlos Ortega is a fugitive from justice after escaping to Costa Rica two months back.

"The reality is that union officials are seeking backhanders from whomsoever simply to go away and keep quiet ... they need money to keep the union alive and they have failed to extract their demands from the CVG and are now attempting to blackmail Crystallex and its Venezuelan subsidiary.  It's basically a stand-off in which nobody wins!"

Crystallex International executives in Toronto and New York are remaining resolutely tight-lipped about the debacle which they claim is entirely a matter between the CVG and employees who have not yet joined the Crystallex payroll.  Under Venezuelan law Crystallex does not have the legal authority to take issue in what is an internal CVG-union dispute which only delays a resolution to the 24 workers' employment status which Crystallex says it is ready to formalize as soon as the CVG-union dispute is settled.