Guysuco and GAWU reach agreement to end protests by Albion sugar workers

Guysuco and GAWU reach agreement to end protests by Albion sugar workers

The Guyana Sugar Corporation has reached an agreement with the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU), ending protests by sugar workers of the Albion state which started on Friday.

Top Officials of Guysuco and GAWU met yesterday to address the concerns of the cate cutters, who have been complaining about their low salaries as the cost of living rises.

The union and the company agreed that the situation with the workers at Albion was unusual since the recent floods affected the crop and the workers are usually paid based on the amount of cane harvested.

“The Union articulated that a worker’s task is assigned by the Management with the expectation that certain tonnes of canes would be harvested from the assigned area. GAWU contended that the fact workers were earnings were below their normal level though they were completing their assigned tasks was because of light canes”, GAWU said in a statement.

 The Union added that the workers were responsibly completing their tasks but for their best efforts their earnings were curtailed. GAWU reminded the GuySuCo’s team that, in the past, the Corporation had compensated workers whenever their tasks were completed but their cane weights were not attained.

Guysuco has agreed that for this crop only and only at Albion, the workers will be compensated for the difference between their usual productivity per punt and the actual canes cut and loaded or cut and stacked.

Guysuco said to receive the compensation, the workers would have to complete their tasks assigned.

The agreement also places a limitation on the task assigned to workers in keeping with long-standing practices. The union has welcomed the agreement and said it augers well for cooperation between the union and the company as efforts continue to develop the sugar industry.

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