Sugar workers in countrywide strike for pay hikes

Workers protesting outside of the Ministry of the Presidency yesterday (GAWU photo)
Workers protesting outside of the Ministry of the Presidency yesterday (GAWU photo)

Over 3,000 sugar workers across the country began a strike yesterday for an increase in wages and salaries, which they have not been granted over the past five years as a result of what they believe is clear discrimination.

The withdrawal of labour by workers from the Albion, Blairmont and Uitvlugt estates is another blow to GuySuCo’s efforts to achieve its production target.

Some workers were also joined by officials from the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) and the National Association of Agricultural, Commercial and Industrial Employees (NAACIE) in a protest in front of the Ministry of the Presidency on Vlissengen Road, in Georgetown.

Workers protesting outside of the Ministry of the Presidency yesterday (GAWU photo)

In a statement, GAWU said the protest action was aimed at persuading government, which is a major stakeholder in the corporation, “to bring an end to the wage freeze and approve a pay rise” for workers.

However, according to GuySuCo’s Chief Industrial Relations Manager Deodat Sukhu, the financials of the company shows that it cannot afford to pay an increase. Sukhu, who heads the negotiation team on behalf of the company, related that the cash-strapped corporation does not have the revenue or cash flow to pay workers the requested increase.

He noted that this position was made known to union representatives during meetings in October and November.

Sukhu stated that the unions have been negotiating for a 155% increase, which would amount to $1.4 billion annually. He, however, noted that the company’s financials do not allow even for a 1% increase, which would amount to $80 million per year as it cannot afford it.

“We do not have the affordability. The board has recognised that workers need an increase but even if they say give workers the increase, the company does not have the money to pay. We have shown that to GAWU at the meetings,” Sukhu said.

The union said in its statement that workers took aim at pronouncements  by government officials who have said that the issue of increases for sugar workers is one for the corporation’s board, which they called an attempt by the administration to shift the blame and to extricate itself from its responsibility.

“…We are knowledgeable of certain proposals that have been put forward by management which stress the urgency to grant a rise in pay to workers. We also have to know that those proposals have received the support of some in the GuySuCo Board of Directors. Clearly, a pay rise to sugar workers is no longer optional but it is now an imperative. Moreover, the necessity has gained traction and it appears that the decision is ultimately left up to the powers-that-be. Of course, their inaction, thus far, is a clear indicator as to where they stand on the issue,” it further said.

The union also reminded that it has been two months since it launched a petition calling on President David Granger to approve an increase in wages. It noted that the president undertook to share the petition with GuySuCo and to receive its advice before communicating with the workers and the union. However, it said they are still awaiting a response.

GAWU said through a source it learned that the sugar corporation provided a response on the petition to the president but it remains unclear what was the nature of the advice provided.

The union said the workers questioned how government can go about, in good conscience, to trumpet the pay increases they granted to other sectors of the State, while it fully well knows that sugar workers have not been given any pay increase since it took office. It said they questioned whether they were not similarly deserving and also whether they and their families are also not facing a higher cost-of-living.  “They shared that they do not buy from different shops and vendors. They have to pay the same prices for everything but they are working for lesser pay. They questioned how can this be deemed fair?” it added, having noted that the workers were also at a complete loss as to why the government, which had embraced them prior to attaining office, was treating them with such derision

“The workers are of the strong view that the administration has more than a moral obligation to assist them as they reminded that even former President Forbes Burnham, who founded the PNCR, the largest party in the coalition government, had not treated them as terrible as his successors are today,” the statement also said.