Sugar workers attached to the Uitvlugt Sugar Factory on the West Coast of Demerara on Wednesday morning downed their tools in protest following a disagreement r
Workers outside the Uitvlugt factory on Wednesday morning
egarding their work hours and payment of outstanding monies to them.
The Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU), in a statement, said that since it was the end of the first crop, the workers protesting were engaged in out-of-crop maintenance work.
GAWU said at the commencement of the out-of-crop season, the workers and the Union reached an agreement with the management wherein the working hours during the period would be confined to outside of the national curfew hours. This came about after the estate had initially sought to have the workers divided into two shifts.
The Union said it had to broker this arrangement because of the fact that many of the sugar workers would have been facing difficulties with the Police.
“Through the proposed arrangement, workers on the second shift would have concluded their work during the curfew period. At that time, the Union drew to the estate’s attention that during the cropping period many workers had faced many difficulties with the law enforcement officers when they returned home during the curfew period although they were deemed essential workers. In view of what prevailed, it was agreed that workers would not be required to work during the curfew period. It was suggested, at that time, that appropriate representation be made to the authorities to ensure workers do not confront similar difficulties should the curfew period prevail when the second crop commences,” GAWU said in a statement.
According to GAWU, despite the agreement, the estate’s management began demanding that the workers return to the initial agreement without even consulting the Union. Additionally, the estate also failed to make representation on behalf of the workers so as to avoid the difficulties they faced while returning home during the curfew hours.
At the same time, the workers recognised that the requirement to have them all working at once prevented adequate social distancing. During the cropping period, to maintain round-the-clock operations, workers are staggered in three shifts. Since 24-hour operations were no longer necessary, at this time, all the workers were required to be present.
“In view of the large number of workers present, the Union suggested two shifts of workers be organised during the initially-agreed hours of work. This suggestion came against the background, that the estate has approved similar arrangements for its administrative staffers, undoubtedly, to protect their health and well-being. However, the Uitvlugt management has not yielded to the suggestion from the Union and the workers. Indeed, it is felt that this is not in keeping with adequate safety and health practices in the era of COVID-19,” GAWU said.
Delayed payments
The Union reported that workers were also upset that their holiday-with-pay payments for those workers who have 10 or more years of service have been delayed for two weeks now. Sugar workers employed in the fields and the factories receive holiday-with-pay payments in lieu of annual leave.
This arrangement is among the benefits set out in the extant Collective Labour Agreement between the Union and the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo).
Regarding the payments, the workers entitled to such were told just the day before that the Corporation did not have the monies to offset the payments.
“Many workers anxiously looked forward to receiving their entitlements, and the delay for them has been upsetting. Following the workers’ protest, the Union was informed by GuySuCo during the day that the workers would finally receive their outstanding monies on May 29, 2020. It appeared hadn’t the workers raised their voices in protest, they may have continued to see their payments withheld. The GAWU is heartened that the workers can receive their outstanding entitlements, though it is saddened that they were forced to take protest actions to have their rights respected,” the Union stated.
The Union added that it has become the norm that workers have to down tools in order for their pleas to be heard.
