The Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) and the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) yesterday signed a new agreement which will see sugar workers receiving an eight per cent increase in wages and salaries.
Word of the eight per cent increase was first made public by Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo last Friday.
Amid questions concerning a collective bargaining agreement, GuySuCo cancelled its invitation to the press yesterday but went ahead with the signing of the new pact.
GAWU’s General Secretary, Aslim Singh, while fielding questions from this newspaper, yesterday asserted that the increase was not imposed on the union. He explained that during their negotiations, GuySuCo informed that government was prepared to extend the eight percent increase.
He stated that given their knowledge of GuySuCo’s financial position, they took the proposal to workers and it was agreed that they will accept the offer.
“We consulted with the work force and they accepted it. It is no secret that GuySuCo leans on government for financial support but this offer was made in our negotiating process.”
The eight per cent wages and salary increase is retroactive to January 01, 2022. It is unclear what the total amount of the payout is.
GAWU in a statement issued subsequent to the signing, said that the inking of an upgraded Collective Labour Agreement (CLA) paves the way for sugar workers to benefit from improved pay and other conditions of work.
Additionally, it was stated that the agreement allows for workers to benefit from improved allowances and benefits which are also retroactive to the beginning of the year.
“The agreement also caters for appropriate adjustments to pay scales and other piece rates in keeping with the across-the-board improvement. The GAWU and the GuySuCo have also agreed to improvements in some issues regarding personal protective equipment (PPE) which workers will benefit [from] going forward,” the release stated.
GAWU’s President Seepaul Narine in a brief comment said that they arrived at the terms of the updated agreement after considering the present constraints confronting the industry.
The statement however, indicated that Narine was anticipating more investments into the industry.
“Mr Narine shared that the Union was heartened to reach an agreement and though he noted that there were disagreements during the discussions, he felt that the mature and respectful exchanges served to enhance the relations between the parties,” the statement added.
GuySuCo has informed the union that workers will receive their retroactive payments on Friday, when they receive their usual wages and salaries. The corporation also disclosed that the new rates-of-pay have been implemented and sugar workers have welcomed the improvements in conditions and pay levels, the statement further added.
Jagdeo had announced the decision at a news conference at the Office of the President.
“The sugar workers will also get an eight per cent increase,” Jagdeo said after referencing the announced payout of the across-the-board increase to public servants. “We decided that.”
GuySuCo workers last year received a seven per cent wages and salary increase as was the case for public servants.
