GEORGETOWN, Guyana – The Guyana Agriculture and General Workers Union (GAWU) and the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) have reached an agreement ensuring that workers are compensated for the difference between their usual productivity per punt and the actual canes cut and loaded or cut and stacked.
GAWU President Seepaul Narine (left) and GuySuCo CEO Sasenarine Singh (right) signing of the agreement reached on Sunday“To receive the compensation, the workers would have to complete their tasks assigned. The agreement also places a limitation on the task assigned to workers in keeping with long-standing practices,” GAWU said, noting that the agreement reached on Sunday, effectively brings to an end, the indefinite strike at the Albion Estate in berbice.
GAWU’s President Seepaul Narine and GuySuCo’s chief executive officer, Sasenarine Singh met to discuss the situation and among the issues was the impact rain and floods had on the industry resulting in canes having reduced rate.
Cane cutters are paid based on the tons of cane harvested and Narine said that workers were completing their daily tasks but being paid less than usual.
“The union shared that the workers were responsibly completing their tasks but for their best efforts their earnings were curtailed.
“GAWU reminded the GuySuCo’s team that, in the past, the Corporation had compensated workers whenever their tasks were completed but their cane weights were not attained. From that point of view, the Union urged the GuySuCo to revert to known and established practices,” GAWU said.
It said that during the meeting, Singh, acknowledged that the situation at Albion was unusual, adding “he noted that it required the cooperation of all stakeholders to ensure that production is maximized and the estate is able to recover from the serious setback arising from the floods”.
GAWU said that GuySuCo has proposed that workers be compensated for the difference between their usual productivity per punt and the actual canes cut and loaded or cut and stacked. It said GuySuCo’s proposal would take effect for this crop only at Albion, in light of the uniqueness of the situation.
Narine shared that the union was heartened that the state-owned sugar company listened and considered the concerns of the workers and the union and that an agreement could be reached.
Cane harvesters attached to the Albion Sugar Estate downed tools on Friday to protest what they claimed is the poor working conditions in the fields.
In addition, they raised concerns over the recorded weight of the cane on the scales, contending that the figures are considerably lower than what they thought was harvested.
