The main sugar union GAWU is calling out its members on an industry-wide strike today as the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) has failed to meet it for collective bargaining.
GAWU is expected to speak on the issue today after consulting with members and determining the extent of the strike action. The strike call comes with the sugar industry in a dire situation and awaiting the findings of a recent Commission of Inquiry (CoI) into its future.
Stabroek News was informed that the union and GuySuCo had arranged a meeting on October 7th for wage talks but on the eve of the meeting the sugar corporation cancelled. GAWU was told that the state-owned corporation would await the results of the CoI into the sugar sector and the subsequent report that was to be submitted to the Ministry of Agriculture.
The report was submitted by the Chairman of the Commis-sion, Vibert Parvatan, to George Jervis, Permanent Secretary to Minister Noel Holder last week and will be discussed at cabinet this week after which a public disclosure of the three- volume report is expected.
This newspaper was told that the union, while anxious for the results and findings contained in the report, does not disregard the fact that GuySuCo is currently in breach of the provisions of the Trade Union Recognition (Amendment) Act. GAWU and GuySuCo would generally meet prior to the commencement of the second crop to discuss wage increases as well as fringe benefits for sugar workers, however this has not been the case this year.
The union is of the view that while the report’s findings are important, collective bargaining has been an institution since 1989.
Additionally, the main sugar union is usually provided with the company’s financial report prior to collective bargaining, ensuring that the union will have an accurate grasp of GuySuCo’s finances. This has also not happened.
GAWU has already presented GuySuCo with its proposal and was anticipating that the state-owned corporation would follow through on discussions for wage and salary negotiations for 2015 given that the year is in its fourth quarter.
Stabroek News was told that the CoI report has been submitted and as such GuySuCo management would have already been privy to the findings and therefore the union is requesting the immediate commencement of negotiations.
GuySuCo in a press release issued on Friday said that it officially informed GAWU that the corporation would be unable to meet until “the Commission of Inquiry report has been considered by the Government and advice is given to the Corporation on the way forward.”
GuySuCo stated that “The Corporation and the Union had a preliminary meeting on Septem-ber 16, when the Corporation informed the Union and the representatives from the various estates that it was unable to commence discussion before as the Commission of Inquiry has to submit its findings and recommendations.”
The sugar corporation is of the view that the union’s actions could jeopardise the remainder of the second crop and ultimately the annual production, “Their actions have affected all field and factory operations, fracturing the prevailing production momentum”, GuySuCo said.
