STERLING Products Limited and the Clerical and Commercial Workers Union (CCWU) have signed a renewed two-year collective labour agreement that will govern the working conditions at the company.

Although the company could not accept some of the union’s proposed conditions, the negotiations went well, said Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Sterling, Ramsay Ali, subsequent to the signing of the agreement at the Ministry of Social Protection on Thursday.

“Negotiation with the union or any union is not easy but what is important is that over the years, while we had negotiations that can be deemed acrimonious, at the end of the day professionalism steps out and we come to an agreement,” Ali said.
There were times when the union did not appreciate what the company went with but the CEO hopes that as the years go by “the slices will get bigger”.
President of the CCWU, Sherwood Clarke, agreed that there were times when the negotiation was better but he was satisfied that the company and the union came to a ‘principled’ compromise.

According to the agreement, there was an increase in everything including fringe benefits and the annual bursary. Clarke hopes that by the next round of negotiations in 2020, the conditions will improve.

Chief Labour Officer Charles Ogle encouraged other companies to adopt some of the principles that were outlined by the company and union.
Ogle said some companies continue to utilise labour agreements that are old and outdated, so Sterling has set a good example by renewing their contract with the union every two years.

He even believes that some of the conditions in the agreement are better than those that are identified in the laws of Guyana.