The Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) has expressed alarm at a reported threat by the Guyana Agricultural and General Worker’s Union (GAWU) to have workers embark on a nationwide strike today over an across-the-board increase in wages and salaries.
According to a release yesterday from GuySuCo, the entity maintains its commitment to ensure improved remuneration for its workers but at the same time is urging the labour force to understand the challenges it faces and to let good judgment prevail. GuySuCo called for the labour force and the Corporation to continue working together to achieve their common goal.
Efforts by Stabroek News to obtain a comment from GAWU officials yesterday proved futile. General Secretary Seepaul Narine noted that the union will issue a statement on the matter today.
GuySuCo noted that an article in yesterday’s issue of the Guyana Times, quoted GAWU’s Organizing Secretary for Region Six, Ramnarace Tiwari as stating that, “the corporation is not confident of achieving the 264,000 tonnes of sugar for 2010 with about ten more weeks of grinding remaining for the year”.
The article stated that the workers represented by GAWU are resorting to strike action as a means of applying pressure on GuySuCo into making an across-the-board wages and salaries increase for 2010.
GuySuCo made reference to a meeting held last Tuesday at the entity’s La Bonne Intention (LBI) boardroom where its Chairman of the Board of Directors, Dr Nanda Gopaul along with other senior officials met with representatives of both GAWU and NAACIE to discuss several issues. At the meeting cane harvesters were encouraged to improve on their attendance, which over the current crop so far is averaging about 57%.
The Corporation stated that the unions were told that as a result of such a low turnout, significant out-of-cane periods is a common occurrence on some estates and only the factories at Rose Hall and Blairmont have been able to achieve the desired 130 hours of grinding per week.
GuySuCo’s CEO Paul Bhim told those in attendance that as of week ending October 8th 2010, approximately 1.3 million tonnes of canes were still to be harvested and if the existing good weather prevails and GuySuCo is ably supported by better attendance and productivity, then the target of 264,000 tonnes of sugar could be easily achieved.
He also stressed that if the current low turnout does not improve and there is an early onset of the December/January rains, then there is the likelihood of canes being carried over to the 1st crop next year, which is undesirable.
As the weather has improved, the Industry has recorded a steady increase in production for its 2nd crop over the past few weeks. For the week ending October 15th 2010, the highest weekly sugar production figure for the crop was recorded at 9,728 tonnes, GuySuCo noted yesterday.
The Skeldon factory also recorded its highest weekly production figure to date at 1,711 tonnes for the current crop and for the third consecutive week, the estate has achieved its weekly production target along with Rose Hall and Uitvlugt. The workers at these estates have now qualified for an extra day’s pay, it was noted.
As regards the latest development, the entity is encouraging sugar workers and GAWU to reconsider their position, noting that with improved attendance, production figures would be more significant given the present dry weather conditions, which would enable both GuySuCo and the workers through their respective unions to be in a better position to determine an amicable wages and salaries increase for 2010.
