The Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) still awaits word from the sugar corporation on the issue of increased wages while two estates continued to be affected by staff turnout following Monday’s strike.
GAWU President Komal Chand told Stabroek News yesterday that there was a 50% turnout of cane cutters at the Rose Hall and La Bonne Intention (LBI) estates but he suggested that in the coming days the situation is likely to improve.
GAWU was expecting a full turnout of workers yesterday at the two estates and according to Chand while GAWU awaits word from the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) for a continuation of talks, it is hoped that the corporation is ready to state its position on the issue.
GuySuCo has maintained that any reasonable offer for wages and salaries increases for 2010 must be contingent on the industry at least achieving the revised target of 264,000 tonnes of sugar. The entity encouraged workers to “understand [that] the reality of the current situation facing the industry dictates that all stakeholders have to play their part to turn the fortunes of the sugar industry around.”
GuySuCo said this week that it is willing to have the unions audit its financial statements to verify that its financial position supports its stance that it cannot meet the unions’ demands.
The corporation noted that the sugar workers have played a major part in assisting the corporation through the difficult period experienced and it appealed to them to continue to support the industry as they can only benefit from its turnaround.
