| Sugar workers along with officials of the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) yesterday staged a picketing exercise outside of the Ministry of the Presidency. According to GAWU, the exerciseWorkers in front of the Skeldon Estate yesterday, East Berbice.is one of several taking place across the sugar industry outside the administrative offices of the various estates denouncing the Guyana Sugar Corporation Inc (GuySuCo) “harsh stance” of constricting workers’ wages and salary to 2014 levels.“The workers and the union are calling on President David Granger to end the blatant and glaring discrimination perpetuated on the sugar workers for two consecutive years.”GAWU said that the state-owned corporation thwarted an attempt to have the union’s wage and salary claim for 2016 addressed at the conciliatory level within a timeframe.“Also, the ‘excuses’ by the corporation’s Chief Industrial Relations Manager regarding a busy schedule rendered the conclusion of the conciliatory proceedings just a few days before the December 23, 2016 closure of the current crop.”GAWU argued that at the bilateral and conciliatory levels, no pay increases were approved by GuySuCo which was “obviously and understandably” a stance in sync with the ruling of the APNU/AFC Government and the GuySuCo’s team.”GAWU reiterated to GuySuCo’s representatives at the various meetings that their consistent bad treatment of workers of recent will only go to stoke dissatisfaction among the thousands of sugar workers throughout the sugar belt. Inevitably, demotivation and declining morale of the workers will result, and which will not be in the industry’s interest at this time.”Sugar workers picketing outside the Ministry of the Presidency yesterday.GAWU, the country’s largest sugar union, pointed out too that while the industry will seek to produce maximum sugar production using the resources it employs, diversification into electricity production – white sugar, alcohol and distilling – all recommended by the Sugar Commission of Inquiry established by the APNU/AFC Government last year – offer good prospects for a viable future.“Simultaneously, we reminded GuySuCo that cattle rearing, rice cultivation, aquaculture, and orchard fruits have had miserable results in the past. The Union is rather despondent that President Granger has not even acknowledged the Union’s correspondence sent to him on December 15, 2016 requesting that the Government’s bonus of $25,000 be paid to sugar workers as well.”GAWU said that in recent months, correspondences sent by GAWU to the Prime Minister, Moses Nagamootoo, and the Minister of State, Joseph Harmon, on matters relating to workers’ interests and the future of the industry have not been acknowledged as well.”In this season of goodwill, it is disheartening for GAWU to record that sugar workers and their families will be unable to fully enjoy this festive period unlike their compatriots in other sectors. It is indeed vexing that workers’ children and grandchildren may not be able to receive the usual goodies the Season brings with it.”The sugar industry, once the backbone of Guyana, employs around 17,000 workers, but has fallen on hard times, with a cash shortage, poor agricultural practices,NFL Jerseys Outlet, old machinery and bad decisions contributing to all-time low performances.Both the old administration and the new one have not been able to find solutions.Sugar this year has fallen to a mere 180,000-plus tonnes, after a heartening 230,000 tonnes last year.Government has been bailing the industry out over the years, but the new administration has insisted that tough decisions have to be made, as the industry has been a major drain on limited resources. |
