ABOUT seventeen thousand sugar workers are to receive retroactive payments today for the period January 1 to July 2, 2011. The payment follows a recent decision taken by the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GUYSUCO). The corporation had decided, with effect from July 3, 2011 to increase the rate-of-pay of all unionised workers by five per cent and, therefore, the retroactive payments are to cover the period in this year prior to July 3, 2011. On December 22, 2010, President Jagdeo intervened in the wage/salary dispute between GAWU and GUYSUCO and at a meeting at the Guyana International Conference Centre where he addressed a representative body of sugar workers from the various estates. He indicated that Government would award a five (5) per cent rise in pay. However, he did not approve the consequential rise in the rate-of-pay. In fact he established a conditionality. He said “if we achieve the target for next year (2011), the five per cent becomes permanent”. It means only at the end of this year (2011) on the achievement of 298,879 tonnes of sugar, the workers would be able to have their rate-of-pay increased by five (5) per cent in keeping with the one-off five (5) per cent pay on their earnings last year (2010). GAWU strenuously opposed the conditionality and maintained its relentless call for the new rate.
Early in the year GUYSUCO informed the Union that it would approve the increase in the rate-of-pay if the first crop target of 138,791 tonnes sugar is attained. The union again disagreed this time to an adjusted conditionality. GAWU, on June 16, 2011 at the Enmore Martyrs Rally, said among others things “I need to lament the non-implementation of a five per cent rise in the rate of pay of sugar workers from January 01, 2011. Workers in the public and private sectors got new rates of pay this year based on their increase in pay last year. While sugar workers got a five (5) per cent increase in pay they are still paid at their 2009 rates-of-pay. It is most discriminatory to treat the nation’s sugar workers so disrespectfully. Sugar workers are becoming incensed at the procrastination”.
On June 20, 2011, GUYSUCO in response to GAWU, held a meeting with the union at which the corporation disclosed that it would implement the new rate-of-pay without any conditionality. It is realized that should the Corporation hold on to its spurious conditionality sugar workers from the beginning of the second crop which incidentally started at Rose Hall Estate on July 11, 2011, would engage in actions to press their right to receive the new rate. The payout is expected to cost Guysuco approximately G$260 million.
Presently the union and the corporation are considering this year’s increase in pay. The corporation before the commencement of the negotiations offered a five per cent rise while the union is seeking an 12 per cent increase. The parties have met on three occasions and discussions so far surround the other claims by the union. It is expected that next week the union and the corporation would begin discussions on the union’s wage/salary claim. (GAWU release)