Dear Editor,
The Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) has observed in recent days in various sections of the media, references to the earnings of sugar workers, where the claim was made that sugar workers earn about $200,000 on average per month. The figures which are bandied about emanated, we think, from the Human Resources section of the Sugar Commission of Inquiry (CoI) report.
Our union soon after the release of the CoI report in December, 2015 had pointed out that the figure quoted was far from reality. This was reported in the January 5, 2016 Stabroek News (‘Parvatan, GuySuCo silent over disputed sugar workers pay figures’). Notwithstanding the clarity we brought to the matter then, the mischievous and misleading information has, once more, re-emerged.
In order to again bring clarity to the matter, our union has attached copies of the final pay slips for year 2016 of the following workers whose earnings show as follows:-
The sums indicated are reflective of the workers’ gross earnings for the calendar year 2016 and notably include incentive payments.
Clearly, the pay slip numbers speak for themselves, and we hope that this brings an end to misinformation about sugar workers’ earnings. Sugar workers perform one of the most difficult tasks in the Guyanese labour market yet their earnings are inflated for most dubious, maybe obvious, reasons. The workers earnings, as is evident, are poles apart from their super-salaried boss who enjoys a cushy lifestyle while they and their families must contend with no pay rises, no Annual Production Incentive (API) and for a great number, soon, no jobs.
Yours faithfully,
Seepaul Narine
General Secretary
Guyana Agricultural and General
Workers Union (GAWU)
