Sugar workers at the Wales Estate of the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuco) are striking to press for better working conditions, bringing operations at the estate to a temporary halt.
General Secretary of the Guyana Agricultural Workers Union (GAWU), Seepaul Narine told Stabroek News last evening that the union is expected to meet with GuySuco representatives this morning to discuss the situation at Wales in the hope of reaching a solution. He said cane harvesters at Wales downed tools earlier this week as a result of working conditions on the fields. They are demanding a $400 per obstacle per bed (clearing of obstacles e.g. weeds) as payment, while Guysuco is currently offering $360.
This newspaper understands that some workers had burnt several punts of cane a few days ago, out of frustration with the management of GuySuco. However, GAWU officials stated that they had received reports of arson at the Wales estate but could not verify how true such reports were.
Workers at the Enmore Estate also took industrial action yesterday but that matter was resolved following a meeting between officials of GAWU and GuySuco. Narine stated that the problem related to a pricing dispute but that was subsequently ironed out.
Earlier yesterday, Assistant General Secretary of GAWU, Dereck Thakur told this newspaper that the union had received a letter from GuySuco stating that the Wales estate will be closed temporarily.
The Wales Estate workers had taken industrial action during the course of last week in support of their colleagues at Enmore. That strike was eventually resolved and workers attached to both estates had agreed to return to work last Friday.
However, according to a source at the Wales Estate, cane harvesters there had not agreed to “certain conditions” that were agreed upon initially by the management of the estate and the workers. As a result, the source said that cane cutters began strike action earlier this week, leading management to the decision decided to temporarily close the estate and leaving a skeletal staff, including factory managers, security personnel and a few power unit attendants to man the factory operations.
When Stabroek News visited the West Demerara estate yesterday, loads of cane stalks packed on several carts were visible in the yard surrounding the factory.
According to a cane cutter, management of the estate needs to be more pro-active in managing its affairs. He said that with the current industrial action, the sugar corporation stands to loose millions of dollars, monies he noted the company cannot afford to lose. The man noted that the payment offered by the sugar company cannot compensate for the “hard labour” expended by sugar workers on a daily basis, noting that in the days gone by he was paid as much as $25,000 per week by GuySuco.
The man stated that cane cutters take home a mere $7000 per week and he said the administration will soon have to consider importing sugar on a large scale since many persons are turning to other forms of employment.
Another cane harvester told Stabroek News that he and his colleagues have been recently examining their roles in the sugar industry and surmised that the sugar industry cannot survive without manual labour, noting that the industry is the backbone of the economy.
GuySuco is relying on outputs of the recently commissioned Skeldon Sugar Factory to sufficiently supplement losses the company suffered last year. However, the company has had to deal with several disputes brought to the fore by sugar workers who have been demanding higher payments with the rising cost of living.
