The arguments regarding the non-consultations with relevant unions over the employment status of sugar
GAWU General Secretary Seepaul Narine
workers attached to the Wales Estate will be heard soon. This is according to General Secretary of the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) who told Guyana Times on Saturday that when the matter was heard in chambers of Justice Roxanne George on Thursday last, it was adjourned for July 19, when a date for trial will be determined.
This court case arose after an interim injunction granted on May 6, 2016, barred the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo), its servants and/or agents, from proceeding to sever the employment of the sugar workers from the estate, unless consultations with the workers were held. The legal action was filed on behalf of GAWU and the National Association of Agricultural, Commercial and Industrial Employees (NAACIE).
When the matter was heard on May 24, GuySuCo’s lawyers were absent which forced the case to be rescheduled to June 7. On June 7, GuySuCo had claimed that it was not served notice of the legal action and as such, was not ready to answer to the litigation. Justice George had obliged and the sugar entity was given until July 7 to submit its response to the legal action. It was on this backdrop that the case has been delayed.
All the while, 99 of 105 Wales sugar workers who were promised their severance payments on May 4 have remained without employment from the Estate. Before May, the workers were given letters on March 22 stating that they would have been paid their termination benefits. GuySuCo has however maintained that the injunction barred the payments to workers. GAWU in response had noted that the agreement between the workers and GuySuCo was reached before the May 6 injunction was granted.
The court action was first brought on after GuySuCo began discussions with individual employees of the Wales estate to negotiate severance packages, without informing or involving the unions.
At one point, the workers were given a three-day ultimatum to make their decisions but GuySuCo later folded these plans. It was in January that it was announced that sugar operations at Wales will come to an end.
Meanwhile the Agriculture Ministry has not made public how its conversion plans for Wales will be implemented. Sugar production will cease at the entity by year-end.
