As it works to address Blairmont Estate workers’ concerns of unfair and unequal payment, Guyana Agriculture and General Workers’ Union (GAWU) yesterday said that they are awaiting response from the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) to determine its next move.
Disgruntled workers last Friday met with Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo and aired their concern while seeking his intervention. At the meeting, Stabroek News understands that Jagdeo, after listening to the workers, announced that the five per cent increase awarded to selected workers will be placed on hold until the sugar corporation addresses the matter.
He also told the workers that they will be meeting with estate’s management to rectify the matter.
The workers met with both Jagdeo and Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha, who was meeting with fisherfolk in Onverwagt, West Coast Berbice, and registered their concerns.
It is in this vein that GAWU’s General Secretary Aslim Singh yesterday said that they are awaiting a response from the corporation. The response is necessary to determine the way forward.
Efforts to contact GuySuCo Chief Executive Officer Sasenarine Singh for a comment proved futile as calls to his office were unanswered.
A release from GAWU last Thursday highlighted the workers dilemma and stated that the workers had decided to take industrial action by picketing outside their offices. Field foremen and women at the Blairmont Estate are peeved over a decision by the sugar company to selectively award pay rises.
Some workers lamented that some of their recently-confirmed colleagues were given pay rises but the same was not extended to them.
GAWU explained, “The new foremen/forewomen are enjoying rates-of-pay in excess of their colleagues who have functioned in their posts for longer periods. The company had informed that the selected workers sat an examination and based on their scores were awarded additional pay increments.”
However, a company source explained that GuySuCo ran a cadet course for 12 workers who were promoted after completing the course. At the end of the course, workers were asked to write a test and three persons attained scores in the 80s and were awarded a 5 per cent increase on merit.
It was a process, the source said, while noting that it is unfair for the long-serving workers to object to this.
However, long-serving foremen and forewomen are arguing that they also sought an opportunity to sit the examination to determine whether they could benefit from further increments like their colleagues but it was not afforded them.
At a meeting on September 20, GAWU met with GuySuCo and presented the suggestion to management. However, the union was told that the company was not inclined to accept the suggestion.
“The response upset the workers who felt that the sugar company was not treating them fairly and inequitably. Though the Corporation said it would provide a response, the workers are convinced that given the expressions and demeanour of the company at the meeting their concerns would be treated insincerely,” the union said.
