SEVERAL sugar workers attached to the Albion and Blairmont sugar estates on Monday morning took part in what they described as a ‘spirited’ picketing exercise outside of their respective administrative offices, where calls were made for the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) to bring an end to ‘foot dragging’ salary negotiations.

Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) in a press release on Monday stated that the discussions surrounding a pay increase for 2019 remained unresolved, and therefore discussions ought to have begun from that point.

It was reported that GuySuCo urged the union and the workers to exercise patience to allow it to engage in consultations with a view to finding a solution. The union and workers agreed to give the new management an opportunity to find a solution. GAWU and the workers also signalled to GuySuCo their willingness, through compromise, to find a settlement as all sides desire an amicable solution.

However, according to the release, days turned into weeks, and then into months as the workers and the union waited to hear from the corporation. In a correspondence on January 28, 2021, GAWU reminded the corporation of its undertaking to respond to the union and the workers. The corporation, at that time, communicated that it was still engaged in consultations. At a meeting on March 09, 2021, the GAWU and GuySuCo resumed discussions. At that time, given the protracted period, the union and the workers had high expectations that it would have received a firm position from GuySuCo.

The union, in its statement, said that while they are committed to seeing the success of the sugar industry, sugar workers also play a critical role in the attainment of that success and, therefore, improvements should be made to ensure that the workers are treated fairly.

“We urge that better sense prevail as the management and the workers and the union work collectively to restore the sugar industry which had been badly battered during the term of the Coalition. We believe on the wages issue, a settlement is within reach,” the release stated.