Over 100 Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) cane harvesters remained on strike yesterday over the conditions at the Blair-mont Estate and many are contemplating asking to be paid severance in order to seek out other means of employment.
The workers, who were transferred from the Rose Hall Estate, related that so far, some 72 workers who were transferred from the Rose Hall Estate to the Blairmont Estate, many with over 20 years of service, have already quit due to the circumstances, including increased hours.
The workers, who have downed their tools since Wednesday morning, lamented the exhausting hours they are forced to endure since the transfer from their East Berbice, Corentyne location to Blairmont, situated on the West Bank of Berbice. They are calling for severance payments, as they believe that they would be better off investing their monies and seeking other means of employment.
Describing their average work day, they said that since being transferred to the Blairmont Estate, they and their wives now have to wake up at 2 am every day to prepare breakfast and lunch.
One worker, who is from Glasgow Village, East Bank Berbice, stated that he has to be on the road before 4 am every day in order to catch the lorry to make it in time for work at Blairmont. He said some days, they arrive at work around 6 am, and having to travel for hours takes a toll on their health.
The workers explained that they cannot return home after completing their work as they have to wait on each other to board the lorry. “If it get a man a work fast and another a work slow, that fast man got to wait ’til everybody done before he can come out,” a worker explained.
Arthur Lewis, 49, of East Bank Berbice, said, “What we facing over Blairmont deh we never go through that in history. These people come here fool we and compel we to go over there. We frighten. It’s 26 years I working. To just throw away 26 years’ service, that is hard. We want work but it too much for us, nobody don’t care for us over there.”
Additionally, the workers complained about the quality of cane being produced, which is making their task more difficult and less profitable.
“The cane coming short and fine, and we not getting the (required) weight to make we day pay,” a worker explained.
Renston Castello said, “We ain’t getting we full weight within the cane and so because the stock short.” He added, “We need we severance because we not getting a fair treatment from people over there and we don’t want to go back there…We like nobody over there; we don’t want to go back there. It ain’t make no sense and every day we facing the one situation and nobody addressing these issues,” he noted. He continued, “We ain’t getting sleep. By time you sleep, time to get up back to cook…I ain’t able with it anymore. I feel it is time for it to come to a close, so we asking for them to just see with us and give us our severance,” he said.
The man pointed out that even with the uncertainty of not having another job, he feels he will be better off since he would have his severance payment to fall back on while he seeks alternative employment.
‘Victimised’
Lord Lewis, of Sisters Village, East Bank Berbice said, “We are being victimised at Blairmont. We facing a field pressure at Blairmont— the super-visor, the foreman— everybody pressuring us. We need our severance because it ain’t making sense. I gon’ plant my farm and I will see my way better,” he said.
Adrian Parris, who is also calling for his severance payment, noted, “Them say if we don’t turn out to work they will terminate we contract, so we wanted to work but this overbearing now…We take the try but we can’t make it, them timings the lorry leaving is too early and it hard pon we. We got to wake up more earlier and when you go over there, we not have profitable work to do to earn a day task. We got children, house rent, bills and everything to pay…We asking if they can please give we we severance.”
The men strongly believe that they are being forced out of their jobs so that the company can avoid having to pay them severance payments. The workers, while speaking to Stabroek News yesterday, became emotional. The frustration and confusion could be heard in their voices and seen on their faces. It is clear that they are desperately in need of help from those in charge.
Hutton Griffith, Manager of the Blairmont Estate, was expected to meet with the affected workers in the field yesterday morning. How-ever, after only one lorry was present to transport all of the workers—an impossible task given that a lorry can only transport 60 workers—they decided to continue the strike.
Stabroek News was told yesterday afternoon that Griffith and other senior persons at the estate are expected to meet with the workers in the field to deal with the issues today.
Meanwhile, workers who have been transferred to the Albion Estate after the closure of the Rose Hall Estate have also complained of the same challenges.
Hundreds of workers in the East Canje Area who were transferred, met with attorney Anil Nandlall in early March and they explained to him that the work offered to them at the Albion Estate is more difficult, with the remuneration package being lower and the distance much longer. Those workers are also demanding their severance.
Several of the Canje workers who were transferred to the Albion Estate have since left the job as well, without receiving any payout due to not being able to endure the physical and mental hardships of the job. Some have so far gained employment as hire car drivers, labourers and construction workers, among other areas.
