The planned transfer of cane harvesters back to the Rose Hall estate is now off the table following a meeting with GuySuCo officials.
Cane harvesters had been on the strike over their planned transfer from the Albion and Blairmont estates to Rose Hall where they been originally employed before it was closed under the previous administration.
The cane harvesters who had been on strike since last Wednesday had been calling for severance pay. With a return to the status quo, the demand for severance pay will no longer apply.
The workers on strike have been gathering at the Canje Turn each morning and marching in protest to the New Amsterdam Freedom House in a call to meet President Irfaan Ali or Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo.
The workers were transferred from the Rose Hall Estate to the Albion and Blairmont estates following the closure of Rose Hall, however, recently management had a meeting where the possibility of bringing back the workers to the Rose Hall Estate was discussed. After receiving news of this, the workers went on strike stressing that they want to return to the Rose Hall Estate but believe they should be paid severance from the estates they are now attached too.
Harvey Tombran, GAWU Supervisor in Berbice, had explained that on July 15, GuySuCo engaged the union where the strategy to harvest cane at the Rose Hall Estate which will soon be recommissioned, was discussed – part of which includes that the transferred workers would be brought from the Albion and Blairmont estates.
However, those workers believe that they deserve some sort of compensation before moving back to the Rose Hall Estate. Most called for severance packages to be given out after which they would seek employment at the Rose Hall Estate as cane harvesters instead of being transferred without any compensation.
Tombran on Monday reiterated the workers’ position, “Their demand is to have a severance package.”
According to Tombran, on Saturday last the Union along with GuySuCo’s Agriculture Director, Vishnu Panday met with about fifty cane harvesters where it was “declared that all we need is to have our severance.”
According to Tombran, Panday relayed that he would inform his superiors and the government through the Minister of Agriculture, Zulfikar Mustapha, of the workers’ demands. The workers were told to expect some feedback by yesterday.
However, yesterday a follow-up meeting was held with the workers, Panday, and other officials from GuySuCo, where the workers returning to the status quo was discussed as they were informed that the idea of transferring them to the Rose Hall Estate was no longer on the table.
Furthermore, Stabroek News was told, that the workers requested that the number of days they were on strike should go as “unavailable” so as to not affect them and the total days worked.
As of yesterday afternoon, several workers told Stabroek News that they were discussing among themselves what their next move would be, however, they noted that they would likely be returning to work.
