THE Guyana Agricultural and General Workers’ Union (GAWU) continues to press the Guyana Sugar Corporation for retroactive pay increase for workers when discussions between the two sides continued on Friday, regarding the Corporation’s proposal for pay rise.

The Union at the previous meeting held on February 12, 2020, put to the sugar company that no worker receives less than a five per cent rise in pay and that the new rates of pay be implemented with effect from January 01, 2019.

The union in a release said that, at Friday’s meeting, the Corporation informed the Union, after consideration, it had amended its offer regarding the time-rated employees. The sugar company put on the table a $20 increase at the Bands One to Five levels. Previously, the Corporation had proposed to increase the Band One by $20 and the Bands Two to Five by $18. Apart from that it had agreed to increase the foremen’s pay by $4,100. Initially, the Corporation had offered to increase the foremen’s salaries by $4,000 per month. The Union, after deliberations by its delegation, found favour with the sugar company’s newest proposal.

Turning to the period of retroactivity, the Union reiterated that the discussions regarded 2019 and thus any improvement ought to be retroactive to the beginning of that year. The Corporation, in response, informed the Union that it required the support of the “stakeholder” to address this issue. The GAWU when asked about the “stakeholder” was advised that that was meant to be Government of Guyana. The company did say that it had previously sought the Administration’s support on the issue, though it did not communicate what was the Government’s position.

The union reiterated that an agreement hinged on an acceptable period of retroactivity. According to GAWU before the meeting ended, the Corporation, it appeared, sought to dismiss “our concerns regarding the period of retroactivity. This upset very much the Union’s delegation which pointed out to the Corporation that the implementation date of the pay rise is a fundamental and critical issue and the sugar company and its officials should not seek to downplay or minimise it to trivialness,” the release added.

GAWU said the meeting, at times, became very contentious as the Corporation also used the engagement to express its views on the Union’s recent statement regarding its 2020 production. The Union said it found the GuySuCo’s demeanor and language to be, at times, unbecoming and clearly out-of-place for the meeting. “While the Corporation may be upset, unfoundedly we believe, the GAWU pointed out that it used information it had at hand to complete its analysis and reach its conclusions. At no time, did the company, in its response, demonstrate that we utilised incorrect data.

In seeking to express criticism, the Corporation went as far as accusing the Union of failing to acknowledge its strategic plan. The GAWU had to tell GuySuCo that though we received a presentation on the contours of the plan, we have yet to see the living document. We reminded GuySuCo that we asked for the plan and subsequently put our request in writing but, so far, we remain unaware about what specifically is said in the document.”

GAWU also reported that the Corporation also sought to pull down the recent protest by workers of the Blairmont Estate as they reiterated their demand for an acceptable agreement.