The Guyana Agricultural & General Workers Union (GAWU) has asked GuySuCo to review its latest Annual Production Incentive (API) offer of five and a half days pay, on the grounds that the sugar workers were unsatisfied with the offer.
On January 29, representatives of GuySuCo’s board and management team met with representatives from GAWU and NAACIE and increased their API offer from three and a half days pay to five and a half days pay.
Following this meeting, General Secretary of GAWU Seepaul Narine said that the new offer would be subject to consultations with the sugar workers on the various estates. GAWU is the main bargaining body for sugar workers in the country.
President of GAWU Komal Chand disclosed that Thursday, representatives from GAWU and the Corporation met and the union representatives asked that the offer be reconsidered. He said that several of the estates had said they were reluctant to accept this offer. In response, the Corporation said that the offer made had taken into full consideration that last year was not a great year for the sugar industry. In 2009 sugar production was pegged at 233,733 tonnes.
GuySuCo, however, has promised to reconsider the offer and is expected to re-engage the union on Monday, Chand disclosed.
