GuySuCo workers to receive 8% retroactive payments by Friday

…as labour agreements signed with GAWU, NAACIE

Collective Labour Agreements were on Tuesday signed with the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) and the National Association for Agricultural, Commercial and Industrial Employees (NAACIE) for the eight per cent retroactive salary increase for GuySuCo employees.
The ceremony, held at GAWU’s Kingston Office, was signed in the presence of Chief Labour Officer Dhaneshwar Deonarine, who welcomed parties that act in good faith.

Four bargaining units were signed: two for GAWU and the other two for NAACIE. The company has already made provisions for the retroactive payments to be made by Friday. Apart from the eight per cent increase, also agreed upon were some fringe benefits for employees.
The CLO stated, “We always encourage negotiations to be done in good faith and for there to be agreement for whatever you’re negotiating, whether wages and salaries or other matters concerning conditions of work.”
Chief Industrial Relations Manager at GuySuCo, Deodat Sukhu said across the four units, about 15 meetings were facilitated to reach an agreement.
“During those meetings, we had some agreements in respect to wages, salaries, salary scales and some fringe benefits. Those agreements and fringe benefits that we have, we have them penned in these documents.”
From NAACIE’s end, the move to pay workers without any strike actions or resistance were lauded.
GAWU President, Seepaul Narine expressed that when GuySuCo was approached for an increase for workers, the company shared that it wasn’t in a position to do so. However, he recognised Government’s efforts in making such a reality.
“It was Government that had to approve the money for the eight per cent to be paid, which we are signing off on here. It’s not funds coming from GuySuCo. It had to be provided by the Government because while we were in the negotiations, we had the financial presentation, which indicated to us that the company that was not in any position to meet this increase,” Narine disclosed.
Last month, President Dr Irfaan Ali announced a retroactive across-the-board salary increase of eight per cent for all public servants. This pay raise was expected to be paid to eligible employees together with their December salary.
Additionally, the Head of State had indicated that further announcements will be forthcoming regarding specific categories of public sector employees. In fact, he has already rolled out salary adjustments for members of the Joint Services that will see ranks getting pay raises ranging from 5.8 per cent to 21.7 per cent for different levels of ranks from the various law enforcement agencies.
Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo noted just a few days ago that the inclusion of sugar workers represents the Government’s continuous interventions for the sugar industry to revitalise it to a state of viability. Only last week, the Government secured an additional $1 billion in supplementary funding to advance works at GuySuCo. (G12)