Private contractor must fix wages of underpaid sugar packaging plant workers – GAWU

The Guyana Agriculture and General Workers Union (GAWU) is calling on the contractor hired by GuySuCo to accept his responsibility and have the issue of the workers wage increase addressed urgently.
The Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) had hired private contractor, Rion Peters, to oversee its operations at the Demerara Gold Packaging Plant at Blairmont.
The workers are currently on strike, demanding a salary hike, and claiming that they are being paid below the national minimum wage.
It was on Sunday that the sixteen female workers attached to the Demerara Gold Packaging Plant at Blairmont took strike action, demanding that they be paid at least the national minimum wage as stipulated in the law.
Currently, they are paid at a rate of $330 per hour. The minimum wages order stipulates $347 per hour or $2,776 per day. Those workers are currently receiving $2,640 per day.
While the workers are not officially represented by a union, GAWU has shown interest in ensuring that they are treated fairly.
In a statement on Thursday, the Union said that based on what it understands, the private contractor, has declined to take responsibility for adjusting the workers’ pay rates.
Acknowledging that indeed the workers are being paid below the minimum wage, GAWU said: “We believe that contractors must understand their obligations as employers, especially regarding compliance with relevant labour laws.”
In this regard, GAWU said it is the private contractor who must fix this situation, as failing to meet the minimum wage standards could result in serious legal implications, including fines and potential imprisonment for non-compliance.
Peters had told the Evening News that he is paying his workers based on a rate set by the sugar company.
However, GuySuCo’s Chief Executive Officer Paul Cheong had told the newscast that it is the private contractor that is responsible for the welfare of the employees.
Meanwhile, the workers also had issues regarding their National Insurance Scheme contributions – something which the contractor has since committed to address.
On this matter, GAWU said that if the workers’ claims are accurate, it raises significant concerns about their access to their social security benefits and entitlements.
Moreover, the union said it wholeheartedly supports the workers in their pursuit of fair compensation and dignified working conditions, contending that the issue must be addressed constructively, rather than deflected.
Additionally, GAWU is urging the relevant authorities to consider the workers’ concerns, and take appropriate action to ensure compliance of the law, and support for their rights.