Sugar Workers down tools

The Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) wishes to confirm the seizure of field and factory operations within Guysuco’s sugar estates in Berbice and Demerara commencing today – August 26, 2008.

The Union and the Corporation having failed at bilateral negotiations to resolve the difference between the Corporation’s offer and the Union’s claim for an increase in pay, jointly requested the conciliatory service of the Ministry of Labour.

The Chief Labour Officer, Cde Mohamed Akeel who intervened on August 18, 2008 and after holding three (3) meetings with the Union and the Corporation, declared a deadlock on August 25, 2008 with the Union demanding a wage/salary increase of 14.25 per cent and the Corporation offering 5.25 per cent.

Workers have been experiencing a significant rise in the cost-of-living especially last year (2007) and this year. Last year’s 8.5 per cent increase in pay was far below the inflation of 14 per cent. This year’s offer by the Corporation is also below the declared half year inflation rate for this year.

It follows that the purchasing power of the ordinary workers has been continuously eroded in the light of the ascending cost of living. We wish to renew the call that increase in pay for all workers ought to be greater than the rate of inflation.

The Union wishes to note that if the Corporation fails to maintain competitive rates of pay there will be a dwindling of its labour pool reminiscent to the days of the latter 80’s and early 90’s when the industry was bedeviled by the lack of an adequate workforce. In those years sugar production declined considerably as follows 1988: 167,550; 1989; 164,800; 1990: 129,920 and 1991: 156,690.

The major problem of the sugar industry lies with the poor management of the Corporation. Over the years 2005-2007 sugar production averaged 260,000 tonnes declining from its average production level of 320,000 during the years 2002 to 2004.

The Union wishes to recommence negotiations but with a more reasonable offer by the Corporation which could be the basis of a negotiated settlement and calls upon the Corporation to set the stage for an immediate resumption of the discussions and an end to the strike.