-new monthly minimum to be $125,000
Demerara Distillers Limited (DDL) yesterday announced that together with the three unions operating in the DDL Group: the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU), the Guyana Labour Union (GLU), and the Clerical and Commercial Workers Union (CCWU), it signed on Wednesday, November 20, another five-year Collective Labour Agreement for the years 2025-2029.
Describing the signing as “historic,” the release explained that the negotiations were initiated by the company after reviewing the national situation, even though the company and the unions already had a five-year agreement in place, which would have come to an end on December 31, 2025. The Agreement signed on Wednesday includes a clause that ends the current agreement with effect from December 31, 2024. The new terms and conditions agreed will come into effect the January 01, 2025.
At the signing ceremony, General Secretary of the GLU, Carvil Duncan, commended the process. He shared that whilst negotiating he thought that some of the unions’ requests were tough, but was very pleased that “all parties have done well.” He said that the Agreement should be a landmark that all other industries will follow.
General Secretary of the CCWU, Sherwood Clarke, noted that his union would collaborate with the other unions (GAWU and GLU), and that the relationship “works very well, with everyone receiving the necessary support.” Clarke expressed confidence that the management and unions can meet and address any concerns that arise from time to time, as they have done in the past.
President of GAWU, Seepaul Narine, who was the lead figure in the negotiations, said that he was very happy to have reached what he called a “very historic agreement.” He reminded that DDL has been signing with three unions together for years, which has never before been seen in this country. “When we look at this agreement, it was negotiated to cancel an existing agreement (which should have ended in 2025),” he noted, pointing out that the new monthly minimum will be $125,000 for 2025, an increase of 37 per cent over the current minimum.
According to Narine this is an excellent achievement, not only from the side of the unions, and highlights the generosity of the management.
He said that while employees in the public sector are likely to get an increase in their minimum salary, DDL’s offering would be significantly higher, with a minimum wage of $125,000. He echoed that the company and the unions were always able to work together, and any issues can be sorted out.
The GAWU head asserted that the agreement is a “good” one which caters for increases every year over a five-year period of six, seven and eight per cent for C, B, and A performance, and noted also that other allowances have also increased. He reminded that the Agreement also has a clause that takes care of what happens if the national inflation rate exceeds five per cent and recalled recently when the national inflation rate had risen above five per cent, the company had taken steps to ensure that employees’ salaries were adjusted accordingly.
Narine added, “DDL is indeed a leader which we hope that the private sector will follow,” adding that he was very pleased to be associated with DDL and to be signing this Agreement.
Meanwhile, Chairman of the DDL Group, Komal Samaroo, in his remarks at the signing, spoke about the history of the union/company relations, noting that before 2002, the company was negotiating individually with three unions. The company at that time, he disclosed, sought to build trust with and amongst the unions working in the company, and signed the first multi-year, multi-union agreement in 2002: twenty-two years ago.
The Chairman also gave some background on the longer-term agreements, and how the company and the unions got to the point of extending the agreements so that a lot of time is not spent around the negotiating table. Necessary safety clauses are included in the agreements. The company signed the first five-year agreement in 2015 (having done three-year agreements before then).
Samaroo explained that because of the changes taking place in the economy, the last agreement would no longer be relevant, hence steps were taken to negotiate a new five-year agreement which takes account of the market realities, hence the considerable adjustment in remuneration.
Addressing the union representatives, he encouraged employees to develop themselves, so that anyone who joins DDL at one level, can grow into higher positions as they learn new skills.
He assured that the company remains committed to working with institutions of higher learning and encouraged the unions and the management to continue to work together and foster the growth of the employees.
