GEORGETOWN, Guyana (CMC) — The Russian-owned aluminium company, RUSAL, Monday dismissed all 326 employees at the Bauxite Company of Guyana Incorporation (BCGI) citing industrial unrest and damage to property.

“The suspension of BCGI will have no impact on the company’s overall performance, as the expected decline in the overall bauxite supply from Guyana will be substituted with raw material from other mines,” the company said in a statement.

But the government said that it has not been officially notified of the dismissal of the workers.

Labour Minister Keith Scott said that company officials held talks Monday with officials from the labour department where the termination announcement was made.

They said it was clear that RUSAL did not attend the meeting to seek an end to the impasse.

Scott said there was no notice to the labour department that the company was moving to terminate the workers. The RUSAL company officials also informed the meeting that the union representing the workers had also not been informed.

The Guyana Bauxite and General Workers Union confirmed it had not received any communication on the matter and reiterated that the company was attempting to influence the outcome of the March 2 general elections.