The Demerara Distillers Limited (DDL) has reportedly terminated the services of some 19 employees from its old bottling plant, and their unions are threatening industrial action if the matter is not resolved by today.

According to a source, the action by DDL has caught the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) and Guyana Labour Union (GLU) by surprise.

The source said DDL Human Resource Director, Mr. Bal Persaud, had told representatives of GAWU and GLU that the company intends to move operations to its newly constructed state-of-the-art bottling facility.

The source disclosed that at a meeting between officials of DDL and the two unions on May 27, the unions requested a full list of the employees be provided and discussed with them before the company embarks on any laying off of workers.

The unions also suggested that the employees be allowed to work until the matter is discussed under the chairmanship of the Ministry of Labour and a settlement is reached.

This newspaper made several unsuccessful attempts to contact Mr. Persaud, and was informed by a company official, who requested anonymity, that 19 workers were laid-off, with their full benefits, including severance pay.

The contact explained that their services were terminated because the new bottling plant is a modern facility and requires skilled labour, a quality the laid-off workers, who were labourers, did not have.

Another DDL official said the workers have been assured that they will be re-hired should vacancies arise which they can suitably fill.