GAWU moves to court for monies owed to severed sugar workers

The Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) yesterday filed an application in the High Court on behalf of the more than 4,000 retrenched sugar workers, asking for them to be paid their full severance and all other monies owed.

In the application filed by a team of lawyers headed by former Attorney General Anil Nandlall, GAWU was listed as the applicant while the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) is the first named respondent and the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL), the second named respondent.

GAWU, which represents the interests of most of the sugar workers, is asking for a Declaration that 4,283 sugar employees, specifically from the Skeldon, Rosehall and the East Demerara Sugar Estates, who were rendered redundant in accordance with the provisions of the Termination of Employ-ment and Severance Pay Act, Chapter 96:01, by letters dated various dates in the month of November, 2017, are entitled to severance or redundancy allowances, as well as an Order directing the Respondents, their officers, servants and agents, to pay all money owed forthwith.

An estimated quantum was not stated in the application.