The Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) yesterday announced that it had reached an interim agreement for salary increases for sugar workers with the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo), although the two sides remain at odds over whether the increases would be retroactive to the start of last year.
GAWU announced that through the agreement, piece-rated workers will be benefitting from a 5% rise in their salaries pay, time-rated workers will receive an increase of $20 per hour, and monthly-paid staffers will receive an increase of $4,100 per month. It also said certain increases have been approved with respect to a number of allowances enjoyed by workers.
The union, however, also argued that with the negotiations having their genesis in 2019, the increases should also cover the same period. “So how can you tell me you are giving me for 2020 and not for what I initially asked for? The union remains resolute that its workers must get the retro from Jan 2019. We are not changing that position,” a GAWU official, who asked not to be named, told the Stabroek News yesterday when contacted.