In a press statement yesterday the Prime Minister requested that those who had returned should encourage their colleagues to do the same by today's deadline.

The reluctant workers want some kind of payment in time for Christmas.

Workers downed tools two weeks ago following the company's management's alleged reneging on a negotiated arrangement to pay a 5% increase for 2003.

Following protracted negotiation between the Guyana Bauxite and General Workers Union (GB&GWU) and the company's management under the mediation of the Ministry of Labour, the TOR was signed on Wednesday morning enabling to worker to return to work by 3 pm today.

However, while workers at Kwakwani resumed duties, those at Aroaima have been adamantly refusing to do the same insisting instead that an interim payment be made for Christmas.

The release from the office of the Prime Minster said that once workers returned to work the TOR would be advanced, bauxite could be shipped and income streams to the company would begin to flow again.

"Without reliable deliveries of bauxite, there would be no company and no money," the release further said.

Hinds met with members of the AMC board yesterday and was informed that those employees who failed to report for work by 3 pm today will be treated as having dismissed themselves and would be processed likewise.

However, GB&GWU President Charles Sampson acknowledged that workers at Aroaima were not prepared to resume duty unless they received some sort of payment. According to Sampson, the workers were demanding that the company pay them something before Christmas as an interim measure instead of waiting for their wages to be renegotiated.

He visited both bauxite-mining communities and met with workers and they vow to continue their strike action until some payment is offered.

According to Sampson, they see public servants and teachers getting a five per cent raise for Christmas and they are working in a sector where their wages are normally higher.