OPERATIONS at Demerara Timbers Limited (DTL) came to a halt on Thursday after workers downed their tools in objection to a $5,000 bonus the company has offered in the absence of a 12% increase. In registering their objections, more than 70 workers strapped with placards, marched from the township to the gate of the sawmill in Mabura Hill, Region 10. Guyana Agricultural and General Workers’ Union (GAWU) General Secretary Seepaul Narine, told the Guyana Chronicle that negotiation between the union and the company commenced in June, 2015 with the union proposing a 12% increase in wages and salaries. Additionally, the union had asked for the meal and station allowances to be increased by 12%, night premium for security personnel, suitable guard huts for watchmen and issuance of certain personal protective gears.

But the negotiations hit rock bottom during the third meeting on Tuesday when the union was informed that DTL’s Headquarters in Singapore had not approved the increase. With no increase in sight, the company’s manager, during the meeting at the head office in Georgetown, reportedly offered a $5,000 bonus for the Christmas season in lieu of a wage increase for 2015. This proposal has been rejected. “It is not only unacceptable but it is an insult to workers,” Narine said in objection.
Already faced with poor wages and salaries, one of the workers, who requested anonymity due to fear of victimisation, said the company was being unfair to workers who continued to labour under poor conditions. “We have to go home to our families in December and that is what they will send us with – $5,000? After working the entire year, after sleeping in darkness, after living in houses that will sooner or later fall to pieces, after putting our lives at risk,that is the best the company can do? Well we will not accept that, they have to do better or we will protest again and again until we are satisfied,” she said while making their position known. It was pointed out that the logging company paid non-skilled workers approximately $45,000 a month while skilled workers are paid less than $60,000 monthly.
“No increase, No work,” “We need 12% increase,” “$5,000 is an insult,” “DTL unfair to workers,” and “We need Madam Broomes to sweep Mabura” were among some of the slogans which were affixed on the placards.
Another union representative told this newspaper that for years the company had been complaining about being “broke” though it continued to extract logs for export. “Every year is the same thing. Last year we had to protest before getting a 7% increase, now they are saying they don’t have money, nonsense!”
In addition to the 12% increase, she said the union was calling on the company to equip the township with a new bus, an ambulance, 24 hours of electricity and better working conditions. “The working conditions here are beyond poor, the only thing we get is a safety boots, no helmet, no respirator, no safety gear, nothing…we don’t even have an ambulance in the case of an emergency,” she lamented.
It was further pointed out that the bus currently being used to transport workers from the township to the worksite and from the township to Linden, Region 10 has been in operation since the 1980s. “You could imagine that? It breaks down all the time.” Additionally, since 2013, workers have been experiencing a shortage in the supply of electricity. Currently, the township is powered from 4:00 hrs to 23:00 hrs daily.
GAWU has called on the Chief Labour Officer Charles Ogle to intervene. “After the deadlock in the talks between the union and company on November 18, 2015 GAWU promptly requested the conciliatory services of the Ministry of Social Protection. A meeting between the union and the company is slated for tomorrow at 13:30 hrs at the ministry’s boardroom at Brickdam, Georgetown,” GAWU said in a statement.
However, the workers, during the one-day protest, made it clear that they were prepared to shut down the logging company for more than a day if they did not receive a favourable response by Monday.