About 100 cane harvesters who were transferred to the Albion Estate after the closure of the Rose Hall Estate yesterday protested for severance payment over the conditions they are facing at the estate.
After the closure of the Rose Hall Estate some 350 cane harvesters including planters were transferred to the Albion Estate. Stabroek News was told that as of yesterday all 350 workers were on strike.
Although the strike began on Tuesday, the transferred workers, in an effort to further highlight their issues, took to the streets for two days now protesting for officials to intervene.
However, while GuySuCo yesterday called the strike an illegal one, the workers told Stabroek News that they want to plead their case to officials who they are hoping will understand their frustration. Adding to this, the corporation has given the workers an ultimatum that if they do not turn out to work before tomorrow then action will be taken against them. “The Corporation is a commercial business and wishes to inform all those employees on strike that they are expected to report for duty latest by Saturday April 6, 2019.”
Audreyanna Thomas, GuySuCo’s Public Relation Officer, while pointing out that estate managers had met with the workers, noted that is not likely that any other official would be meeting with the workers since essentially they have walked of the job.
GuySuCo yesterday in a statement said, “The Corporation wishes to state that the strike action is illegal and is in breach of the ‘Extant Collective Labour Agreement’ existing between GuySuCo and representative Union, the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU).”
Thomas yesterday explained, that the workers are well aware that there is a grievance procedure which they must follow. She noted, that if workers do not go through that procedure then GuySuCo does not have to engage them.
Additionally, GuySuCo in its statement noted, that “The job opportunities for employees from Rose Hall Estate at Albion and Blairmont Estates, is a part of the Corporation’s response to the engagements since 2017, between the Corporation and these employees as well as many stakeholders including GAWU, to explore all possibilities to maintain employment for as many employees as possible from the Rose Hall Estate.”
They stated that the transfer of the employees from Rose Hall Estate to the Albion Estate was done in accordance with the “Labour Law of Guyana under the Termination of Employment and Severance Pay Act (TESPA) section 21 (4) (b).”
However, in their press release GuySuCo noted, that prior to the transfers, management of GuySuCo held several discussions with the employees in the presence of their union (GAWU), informing them of the benefits to be gained from being transferred and remaining in the employ of the Corporation.
But workers have told Stabroek News that they were not engaged in individual discussions nor did management enquire whether they would have wanted to be transferred.
The workers stated, that after being transferred they took the opportunity to work, however, they are now claiming that they cannot continue to labour under such “terrible conditions” at the estate.
GuySuCo yesterday said that it wished to remind the employees of the “value that it places on their service and would be appreciative to have them remain in its employ.” It said also, that the corporation is keen on providing them with continued employment, “so that they are able to take care of their families and expenses, as well as enjoy the benefits as employees of GuySuCo.”
Meanwhile yesterday, highlighting the conditions affecting them, the workers said that on some days they are unable to earn as there are insufficient punts which sees them having to load their canes into punts on the next day, which means that they are working two days but earning only one day’s pay. The workers have also spoken about the long distance which they have to travel, which results in them getting to the work site when the sun is already out and shining brightly.
Meanwhile the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union yesterday in a statement to the press said, that GuySuCo in a letter to the GAWU “intimated that it would take disciplinary actions against the workers for their participation in protest actions.”
However, GAWU in response said, that “workers, as Guyanese, have a right of expression. The possibility of disciplinary action could be seen as impinging on that inalienable constitutional right. Our union, moreover, urged GuySuCo that there be a sober assessment of the situation,” it added.
“We pointed out to the Corporation that dialogue and not confrontation is the appropriate method of addressing such matters as a means to bring about an amicable solution,” they said.
Additionally, GAWU noted, that the workers together with the union recently engaged Attorney-at-law Anil Nandlall on the matter. “At this time, the law is being examined to see what possibilities present themselves and the Union will be accordingly guided.”
