Dubbing themselves the stepchildren of the industry, NAACIE members in Berbice went on strike on Monday at four estates after talks with GuySuCo over an incentive payment broke down.

The industrial action called by the union began on Monday at Albion Estate and is pulling in around eighty percent support from estates at Blairmont, Rose Hall and Skeldon, according to a press statement issued by the National Association of Agricultural, Com-mercial and Industrial Employees (NAACIE) yesterday. The union said it is preparing to extend the action to the entire industry if no favourable decision is made by GuySuCo’s management.

NAACIE is charging among other things, that the company offered the payment last year in an effort to increase production but overlooked its members whose presence and productivity would lead to any increase production. The union said its workers objected to the corporation’s continuing discrimination but all avenues used to have the decision extended to all unionized workers were rejected. “These junior staff workers who are represented by NAACIE are once again recognizing themselves (as) stepchildren of