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400 Diamond cane cutters request severance pay

Mar 27, 2010 News

– refuse to work on East Coast

Some 400 workers of the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) are asking to be let loose after talks failed over the proposed shifting of the Diamond workforce to the East Coast Demerara.
Two sugar workers unions, the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU), and the National Association of Agricultural, Commercial and Industrial Employees (NAACIE), calling for a meeting with the Corporation, have also urged for a rethink of planned moves to get rid of valuable lands of Diamond Estate.
In a letter to GuySuCo, dated March 23 and made available to Kaieteur News, GAWU and NAACIE, are seeking the severance pay for almost 400 workers “since their permanent deployment to work on other locations at distances away would be onerous and inhibit their productivity and earnings”.
Referring to a special committee comprising GAWU, NAACIE and GuySuco that was established to examine the justification for the closure of Plantation Diamond, the unions noted that it must be pointed out that the parties have not disagreed that Diamond remains ideally suitable for cane-growing.
The unions warned against moving to new lands for planting.
“The Unions contended that in light of the need to have a vast supply of canes for the production, ultimately of 80,000 tonnes of packaged sugar at Enmore, the maintenance of the Diamond Plantation would save the cash strapped Corporation millions of dollars to occupy new lands which may not be as equally productive.”
The two unions also suggested that a shorter route which is possible to link the triangular cultivations – Diamond, LBI and Enmore – would redound to cost-saving on the transportation of canes from Diamond to the two East Demerara factories.
“Notwithstanding the advantages that will accrue in the maintenance of Diamond, the Corporation seems inflexible on its course. In the circumstances, we hereby seek an urgent meeting with the Corporation to address the issue of their severance pay claim.
GuySuCo, which closed the Diamond estate sometime back, has been moving to possible sell lands on the East Bank Demerara area, to concentrate more on the East Coast estates.
Already, the government has agreed to buy almost $4B worth in cane lands on the East Bank for housing schemes.
However, there are about 6,000 hectares in the Diamond Estate, union officials said.
A senior GuySuCo official, in response, yesterday said that the closure of the Diamond estate will not mean that employees will be made redundant.
Rather, there are huge voids to be filled since planned increased production on the East Coast will require more workers.
The official further stated that it made economic sense to convert Diamond lands for housing and commercial purposes and rationalise East Demerara estates which are being expanded to cater for packaged sugar.
“Additionally, workers from Diamond are compensated for time loss due to travelling and their services are needed in the cultivation. We have work for everyone so why should we sever any of them?
And why should the union clamour for severance pay when all around the world they are seeking to protect job? They should take a firm position to protect jobs rather than follow calls which are based on emotions,” the GuySuCo official said.

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