The Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) has revealed that a decision has been made to merge the operations of the LBI estate with the Enmore Estate.

A statement from GAWU Thursday noted that delegations from its union and the National Association of Agricultural, Commercial and Industrial Employees (NAACIE) met with the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) on April 12, 2016 at the request of the Corporation with respect to “finalising the integration of East Demerara Estates.”

The Corporation at the meeting informed the two unions that the company has decided to have the operations of the Field Workshop, Mill Dock, Field Lab,  Stores, and Administrative Offices that are based at LBI Estate be merged with similar operations at Enmore Estate during this year.

“This announcement came as a surprise to the Unions and their delegates to the meeting. When the LBI factory was closed and its workers were transferred to Enmore factory, both Unions were assured by a member of the current Interim Management that there will be no closure of any other department after the closure of the factory. Thus, it was never expected that the Corporation under the same Management could decide to dismantle the costly buildings at LBI Estate and end the operations which it approved about five years ago,” the GAWU statement noted.

According to GAWU, the areas that the company has indicated will be closed “basically means the closure of the entire estate. LBI will thereby cease to exist. The company, in effect, is using the term “consolidation” as a guise for the complete closure of LBI.”

The union noted that the closure of the LBI operations would result in over 800 workers who are represented by GAWU and NAACIE being deployed to Enmore Estate.

“It is doubtful that the deployed workers would be offered regular and full work at Enmore as is the present case at LBI. In this regard, account must be taken that similar operations at Enmore Estate have their own full complement of employees, a situation likened to that at Uitvlugt where Wales Estate workers are to be channeled according to a statements by high-placed authorities and promised regular, permanent employment,” GAWU stated.

The Guyana Chronicle understands that at the meeting, the Corporation did not inform the union of when the operations are to be closed nor was vital information about the employees’ future given.

“It is a similar experience to that of Wales where the company, to date, has failed to provide full information on the status of the future of 1,700 workers from Wales Estate.”

GAWU noted that the unions are wary and concerned about the fate of the LBI workers.

“GAWU and NAACIE are hopeful that the unsavory and oppressive situation at Wales is not repeated and call on GuySuCo to revisit its decision on the full closure of LBI. The Unions reiterate its commitment to stand by the workers and will defend their rights that are protected by local and international labour laws,” the statement concluded.