Workers of the Demerara Timbers Limited (DTL) and officials of their Union – the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) – staged a picketing exercise today (October 03, 2016) outside of DTL’s Head Office in Kingston, Georgetown.
The workers are calling on the company to engage in good faith, negotiations with the GAWU. The workers rates-of-pay have not increased since 2014, after the negotiations between the Union and the Company for 2015 remains inconclusive thus far.
According to the Union, Bilateral negotiations between the Union and the Company reached a stalemate on November 17, 2015 after the Company did not approve any raise of pay but offered a Christmas Bonus of $5,000 to each worker.
DTL informed that its financial state precluded it from offering a pay rise. The Company’s position was rejected by the workers who staged a day’s protest on November 19, 2015 at the Company’s Mabura Hill operations.
Following the impasse, the dispute was next subjected to conciliatory services by the Ministry of Social Protection, Department of Labour. On several occasions, the Company refused to attend meetings summoned by the conciliator, Cde Francis Carryl.
This led to the involvement of Minister Keith Scott of the Ministry of Social Protection, who wrote the Company mandating them to meet with the Union and the Ministry. Though, a few meetings were held the Company remains unmoved and is unwilling to divulge its financial statements for scrutiny by the parties.
The workers have grown impatient over the Company’s disrespectful attitude towards them, their Union and the Ministry of Social Protection. They maintain that they are deserving of a pay rise for both 2015 and 2016, especially in view of the rising cost-of-living.
They noted that 2016 is nearly through and the Company continues to drag its feet, thus their resort to protest.
The workers and the Union are calling on the Company to return to the bargaining table and favourably resolve the matter.
