Close to 200 of the Albion Estate’s cane harvesters took to the streets yesterday to protest for financial assistance due to the impact of the May/June floods, which damaged the estate’s sugar cane, resulting in a drastic drop in their weekly earnings since the start of the new crop.
The workers, who have been striking since last week, yesterday protested along the Albion Estate road, where they started fires and used pieces of wood to block traffic to and from the estate for some time.
The Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) yesterday said it has been meeting with union representatives to resolve the situation since the start of last week but to no avail as some harvesters had downed tools since last Wednesday. Up to yesterday it said four of five cane harvesting gangs were on strike, accounting for some 1,146 workers.
In a press statement GuySuCo said that the Albion Estate as at week ending September 18 has completed four out of its scheduled 12 weeks of sugar production. “Since the commencement of harvesting operation on August 18, 2021, the estate has been facing a number of challenges as a result of the sixty five (65) days of flooding of the entire cultivation. The canes deteriorated and develop adventitious roots, side shoots and tillering which have resulted in its reduced quality,” it noted while adding that there are also “carryover canes,” now being harvested as well.
In an appeal to workers, GuySuCo’s Chief Executive Officer Sasenarine Singh urged “let us work together to find an amicable solution to the issues. We need every hand on board to rebuild the Estate. We do understand the issue and are committed to finding an amicable solution. We cannot down tools at this critical junction of our industry’s recovery.”
‘Very hard’
A cane harvester, Arjune Veerasammy, 55, of Kilcoy, Corentyne, told Sunday Stabroek, “Since crop start people na earn no kind money. The pressure a build pon the cane harvester and only the backdam people a feel it because due to the flood them cane dead. Some dry. You na make you tonnage so it very hard. It very hard.”
Veerasammy, who has been with the estate for 33 years, noted that close to 1,300 persons were affected. “We need improved payment because why the people na turn out they prefer go and do outside work – construction and catch fish – because you na really earn anything here right now.”
Another worker, Nicholas Paul, 45, of Fyrish Village, Corentyne, added, “It’s over five weeks now we reaching with this problem… One time them tell you when you finish you cane, them get another alternative work for you [to] do.”
GuySuCo, however, said that with the harvesters unable to achieve their daily minimum punt weight of 6.5 tonnes due to the dry sugar cane available for harvesting this season, they have been assigned additional work to meet at least the minimum wage as outlined by the Ministry of Labour. However, they have been seeking financial compensation without having to complete the additional work.
The frustrated Paul, who has given over 20 years’ service to the estate thus far, questioned how they would be able to “cut cane” then proceed to carry out other tasks at the estates. “How you go work and then go do another job the same day for the same pay? All a we a human beings too. We ain’t working with machine and oil.”
‘Thanks and nothing else’
The workers accused the Albion Estate’s management of a lackluster approach to addressing their plight, which forced them to protest yesterday.
Another worker, Ricky Jones, 34, of Rose Hall Estate, Corentyne, said he has two young children and is barely able to take care of them with his present earnings. “Them pickney na get food to eat deh right now. Me got to mix lil rice and sugar and give them.”
He added that he was forced to borrow money in order to be able to purchase groceries to “cook and come to work and 3 o’ clock a morning we a come a work and work and cut cane ’til 2 (pm) in the hot, hot sun.”
The men are requesting that their payments be increased or that they be given a sum of cash to be able to take care of their responsibilities. “Look how much money them rice farmers get and we need the flood relief,” one worker noted.
Another worker, Vickram Mangal, who has been attached to the Albion Estate since 1998, opined that “this is the worst crop we ever go through” since he has worked with GuySuCo. “Right now we with the crop we understand was flooding but we working at the sugar industry for just thanks and nothing else… This is one of the punt cards, one day work $1,023. This is a next one, five days’ work $4,000, and this is what we getting!”
Mangal, who has to support six children in school, stressed that he is finding it “hard” to take care of his family.
“We ain’t making no money so give the sugar workers flood relief,” he urged while adding that it is likely that during the next crop they will suffer the same fate.
Another worker pointed out that he is close to separating from his wife since he is unable to provide her with basic amenities presently. “We working whole week and can’t even buy a bottle gas. Me wife done tell me she ain’t want me no more,” he said.
Region Six’s Deputy Commander Hemnauth Sawh was instrumental in calming the workers and getting them to eventually remove the blockages from the road.
After arriving at the location, Sawh spoke with the workers and recorded their issues as he asked them to demonstrate peacefully. He then told them that he would visit the estate and attempt to get the Estate Manager, Threbhowan Shiwprasad, to meet with them after the workers explained to Sawh that management had not made any attempts to listen to their issues and concerns.
The workers at that point then assisted the ranks gathered to remove the blockages from the road, and Sawh then gathered the workers at the Albion Sports Complex and headed to the estate. He returned with Shiwprasad and several other officials from the estate.
At the location, Shiwprasad stated, “We understand the cry. We understand the problem. We have been having discussions with the representatives and local union so of the things that are being asked for at our level we don’t have the authority so we have already engaged centrally the head office and we’re working towards a solution.”
According to the estate manager, all of the issues were forwarded to the head office, and they are seeking assistance to resolve the issues at the earliest. He then related, that a meeting is planned for today at the head office, where the workers’ gang representatives and GAWU would be engaged.
Additionally, the workers requested that some of them be allowed to be a part of the meeting to air their concerns themselves.
The workers yesterday told Sunday Stabroek that if their issues are not quickly dealt with then they will continue to protest and “it gon be worse.”
Revised target
Meanwhile, GuySuCo’s statement noted that the estate’s weekly sugar production target has been reduced from 2,100 metric tonnes sugar to 1,815 metric tonnes due to the flood damage. “In addition this reduced target is a means to also to encourage employees to work to earn additional earning through daily performance incentives and weekly production incentives,” it noted.
It added that to compensate the employees for the losses due to the quality of sugar cane available for harvesting, management has implemented a system to offer alternative work on the Estate to those who are not achieving the minimum punt weight.
The statement said that under normal circumstances Albion Estate’s second crop is usually 20 and more weeks but as a result of the prolonged flooding the estate lost 31% of the canes foe the crop, resulting in the second crop being curtailed to 12 weeks.
Addressing the workers’ concerns, the statement said last Tuesday the corporation’s Central Executives (Head of Human Resources, Chief Industrial Relations Manager and Industrial Relations Officer) along with the Estate’s Management (Agriculture, Human Resources and Harvesting Managers) met with the Guyana Agriculture and General Workers; Union (GAWU) field secretary and the cane harvesting shop stewards and listened to their concerns and indicated that they will be channeling same up to the higher management. They were due to meet again on Tuesday this week to provide an update on those discussions.
However, last Wednesday the employees in the 17B cane harvesting gang took strike action, which continued up to yesterday. There was also strike action on Friday, September 17 and Saturday, by the cane harvesters in the 14B, 15A and 15B gangs.
Chief Executive Officer Singh and his management team will be meeting the central executives of GAWU and the cane harvesting shop steward today “to further discuss this matter to reach a mutually agreeable solution,” the statement added.
