Skeldon estate worker, union move to court over dismissal

Skeldon sugar estate worker, Daniel Stephen and his union GAWU have been granted interim injunctions by the High Court against the Guyana Sugar Corporation from treating him as if he was summarily dismissed.

The injunctions were granted earlier this month by Chief Justice Ian Chang and are returnable for today. The legal

Daniel Stephen
Daniel Stephen

action taken by Stephen and the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) is the sequel to a ruling last month by arbitrator Mohamed Akeel that Stephen be considered dismissed at the end of arbitration into his dismissal last year.

GAWU had signalled its opposition to this finding and moved to the court earlier this month.

Stephen made an application in his own name while the plaintiffs for GAWU are Yashomatie Rampersad and Sattie Basdeo, the Trustees of GAWU and Seepaul Narine in his capacity as General Secretary of the union.

Last month, GAWU had stated it was “flabbergasted” at the finding by the Akeel tribunal upholding the dismissal of the Skeldon estate worker. Stephen’s dismissal after an incident with the Skeldon estate manager was varied to suspension without pay pending the outcome of conciliation or arbitration under the aegis of the Ministry of Labour.

Guysuco and Akeel have been listed as the defendants in both actions.