After a week of industrial action sugar workers in Berbice have agreed to resume duties on Monday following intervention by the Ministry of Labour.
GuySuCo is expected to meet with the National Association of Agricultural, Commercial and Industrial Employees (NAACIE) and a representative of the ministry to discuss an incentive payment to the workers. Talks on the payment between the sugar company and NAACIE recently broke down resulting in the strike action by workers at Albion, Blairmont, Rose Hall and Skeldon.
Kenneth Joseph, General Secretary of the union, said NAACIE is firm on its position and will continue to press for the payment on Monday. Joseph noted yesterday that GuySuCo has been dismissive of the union on issues affecting the workers that NAACIE represents, adding that if the company makes a payout to workers to boost productivity then a section should not be excluded.
GuySuCo’s Chief Executive Nick Jackson told this newspaper on Wednes-day that the company has no intention of making the incentive payment that NAACIE is claiming because it was only offered to GAWU workers. He said NAACIE is fully aware of GuySuCo’s position on the issue since it had been clearly outlined during previous discussions.
Jackson said the company targeted cane cutters who work daily and without whose efforts production would cease, adding that GuySuCo was looking at the category of workers who seemed disadvantaged. He explained that NAACIE workers are paid monthly and weekly and receive a salary whether or not production goes on, while GAWU workers are affected when production is halted. The CEO further stated that NAACIE needs to act responsibly and work with the company on a way forward given that the industry has a huge target to meet this year.
NAACIE is charging, among other things, that the company offered the payment last year in an effort to increase production but overlooked its members whose presence and productivity would lead to any increased production.
The union said its workers objected to the corporation’s continuing discrimination but all avenues used to have the decision extended to all unionized workers were rejected. “These junior staff workers who are represented by NAACIE are once again recognizing themselves (as) stepchildren of GuySuCo in the process of sugar production,” a statement from the union said.