Operations at the Blairmont Sugar Estate came to a standstill today after workers took protest action to express their views about the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo)’s pay increase proposal.
The workers, like the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU), contend that any pay increase ought to be retroactive to January, last year. The workers pointed out that the discussions between the GAWU and the GuySuCo originated from the Union’s 2019 claims.
“It is apposite to note that agreements arising out of discussions on non-wage matters, which also comprised the Union’s claims, saw those improvements being implemented from 2019. It is, therefore, puzzling that the Corporation, with respect to pay increase is seeking to deviate from practice and precedent. As the Union disclosed previously, the sugar company has acknowledged that our discussions regarded 2019, yet it is seeking to implement pay rises from the beginning of this year,” the Union said.
At both Blairmont and Uitvlugt Estates, workers took part in picketing exercises outside of the respective estates to reiterate their call that their pay increases be no less than 5% and that the pay improvements be retroactive to January 01, 2019.
According to GAWU, the workers believe that the Corporation, and those who give it guidance, are seeking to “exploit a situation knowing full well that they and their families require a rise-in-pay.”
“The workers have questioned why further discrimination is being meted out against them. They lamented that while they must seemingly swallow a pay rise from the beginning of this year; their colleagues in other sectors of the State received their pay rises from the beginning of last year. They added too that those workers received their retroactive payments tax free as well, while such treatment, so far it appears, has not been even considered for them,” the union said.
