Braving the rains, Union Representatives and Sugar workers, who are presently on strike protested the Ministry of the Presidency on Tuesday Morning to register their displeasure with the way in which the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GUYSUCO) is proceeding with the merger of the LBI and Enmore Estates.
GAWU President, Komal Chand during a comment to the media reasoned that the work of the LBI field workers is not redundant, hence there is no need for them to be forced to work at the Enmore Estate.
“Nevertheless,they are pushed to conditions which are less favourable. The law requires any transfer to take into account that the work that they used to do, the conditions and pay shall not be less favourable,” Chand said.
Chand is claiming that the Management of GUYSUCO has not responded to the Union’s request for dialogue, “so there has been this breakdown in relationship which is very bad for the industry because you are demotivating the workers…a bad relationship is now developing between the workers and GUYSUCO which we cannot afford if the industry is to turn around.”
With regards to the workers of the Wales Estate, the GAWU President said the matter is still hanging, however, he made it clear that the workers ought to receive their severance packages, which requires dialogue with the Union.
He noted too that the injunction filed by GAWU is being used by GUYSUCO as a reason not to pay the 104 workers at the Wales Estate who had agreed to a severance package, although that agreement was made in April and the injunction filed in May.
The workers, both males and females expressed previous concerns regarding the merging of the two estates and the manner in which it is being done.
