One month after hundreds of workers at Aurora Gold Mines staged a protest for a 10% salary increase, the Ministry of Labour and Manpower Planning has announced that the company, along with the workers’ union—the National Association of Agricultural, Commercial and Industrial Employees (NAACIE)—have signed a two-year Collective Labour Agreement. This agreement will lead to wage increases and expanded benefits for the employees.
Under the new agreement, workers will receive a 10% salary increase across the board for 2025 and an 8% increase for 2026. Provisions have been made to ensure that employees who have already received increments for this year will receive reconciled adjustments.
The Ministry indicated that these adjustments were settled earlier in January after extensive negotiations, during which both parties worked diligently to finalize the agreement.
Additionally, night shift workers will benefit from improved earnings, with the night shift premium set at $160 per hour in 2025 and $200 per hour in 2026. Employees will also receive double overtime pay for work performed on Sundays and holidays.
The agreement introduces enhanced welfare benefits, including:
- Increased meal allowances,
- Eight paid sick days per year with compensation for unused days,
- Company-paid transportation for workers traveling to and from the mining site during canceled scheduled flights.
Furthermore, the agreement stipulates that hourly paid workers will enjoy an improved vacation allowance, increasing from 4% to 6% of the previous year’s gross earnings. It also provides for paid severance in cases where workers are medically discharged after all other options have been exhausted.
NAACIE General Secretary, Dawchan Nagasar, described the signing as historic, noting it is the first comprehensive Collective Labour Agreement concluded between a Guyanese trade union and a gold mining company. He emphasized that both parties had to adapt to new management structures and processes during the negotiation.
Minister of Labour and Manpower Planning, Keoma Griffith, welcomed the agreement, calling it timely and aligned with national labour objectives. He noted that the agreement reflects the perseverance of the workers, the union, and the company, and is consistent with the labour priorities outlined in Budget 2026.
