Albion Sugar Estate workers continued to strike yesterday to protest low payments for ‘over-run’ canes, even as GuySuCo’s Chief Executive Officer Paul Bhim signalled that management cannot meet their demands.
“We at this time cannot meet the demands the sugar workers are calling for, as we feel the task does not justify those demands,” Bhim was quoted as saying in an interview with the Government Information Agency (GINA).
The protestors, who are seeking $4,000 per punt for the ‘over-run’ canes, are calling on President Donald Ramotar to resolve the situation and reiterated yesterday that they would not stop the demonstrations until they get justice.
According to GINA, the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers’ Union (GAWU) representatives and GuySuCo’s management have met with the disgruntled workers in order to come to a compromise and will be meeting with them again tomorrow, although it appeared that there is not likely to be a resolution.
It has been 10 days since the canes have been burnt and if a decision is not made shortly, over 162 punts of canes (approximately 962 tonnes) could be lost, GINA said, while adding that a GAWU has representative stated that the union is prepared to meet with GuySuCo’s management when the need arises.
GINA added that presently there is an EU vessel docked in Georgetown and it is expected to sail on Friday, with approximately 6,500 tonnes of sugar. However, Bhim was quoted as saying that GuySuCo would not likely meet its commitment due to the industrial unrest and as a result it would incur a charge of US$6,000 per day in the interim for the delay. “These actions by the workers will only push the corporation backwards…. We have a huge crop to take out and it is necessary to have the crop taken out… I would like to appeal to the workers to think the situation over as the country currently has important commitments to fulfil,” Bhim told GINA.
The workers staged their protest yesterday, from around 7 am to around 11 am. The protest was described as a peaceful one, with the supervision of police. They held up placards, reading: “[Estate Manager] must go” “10 days strike and no one concern,” and “They can pay $6,800 to slash cane and throw away but can’t pay $4,000 to cut cane to make sugar.”
Workers plan to continue their protest today.
