Sugar workers were yesterday told by GuySuCo that there would be no wage increase for 2015 considering the dire state of the corporation’s finances.
In a statement, the Guyana Sugar Corporation said it met earlier yesterday with representatives from the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) and the National Association of Agricultural, Commercial and Industrial Employees (NAACIE) to discuss the claims submitted on wages and salaries increases for 2015. The meeting was held at La Bonne Intention Estate.
The statement said that the Corporation through its Finance Director, Paul Bhim detailed the current financial state of the organisation which “depicted a very grim picture, the realities for 2015 and made it clear that there will be no increases in wages and salaries for 2015.”
The Corporation also told the unions of the impact that the El Nino drought will have on the sugar production target for the first crop. The projected figure is 80,270 tonnes for the first crop and the variance is likely to be 12,500 tonnes, the statement said.
“The management of GuySuCo is extremely pleased that the meeting was conducted in a most professional manner which augurs well for the relationship between the Corporation and the Unions.
“While the unions expressed some disappointment with the position taken by the company, a decision was arrived at for a subsequent meeting to discuss other benefits”, the statement said.
The Corporation said it has been in recent weeks informing employees about its current financial position and the actions being undertaken on the road to recovery.
Last year, GuySuCo had told the unions that it was not having any wage negotiations with them for 2015 until the government had deliberated on the findings of the Commission of Inquiry (CoI) into the sugar industry. Several strikes were called by GAWU over this as it argued that GuySuCo’s position was unprecedented. The government is yet to issue a final position on the CoI report. In the interim, in January the government made the bombshell announcement that it was closing the Wales estate after the end of the second crop this year. This announcement has led to disquiet in the industry and fears over the jobs of those currently employed at Wales.
