"Don't blame us!" - GAWU tells Berbice Chambers

“Don’t blame us!” – GAWU tells Berbice Chambers

Nov 28, 2010 News

…as sugar workers continue to stay away

The Guyana Agricultural and General Workers’ Union (GAWU) has hit back at the three Berbice Chambers of Industry and Commerce which has criticized a recent week-long sugar strike in the industry.
Early this week, in a joint statement issued by the Berbice Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Central Corentyne Chamber of Commerce and the Upper Corentyne Chamber of Commerce, fears were expressed over the fallout from the strike action which started last week Friday, and in which workers vowed to stay away for a week, with the two unions refusing to budge.
According to GAWU yesterday, for the Chambers to make statements such as “the constant resort to strike action by the unions”; “the constant disruption and forced shutdown of the entire operations of the Corporation…”; and “frustrations by citizens of Region Six against the confrontational approach and insensitivity towards the reality of the sugar industry are mounting…” is to imply that the workers and GAWU are to be blamed for the current state of affairs. “Neither GAWU nor its members can be blamed for the Skeldon factory’s failures and the other numerous examples of GuySuCo’s mis-management,” the union said yesterday.
GAWU controls more than 80% of the sugar workers.
The union stressed that as a responsible bargaining body, it is not in the business of apportioning blame.
“We simply state our case. Level-headed and fair-minded stakeholders already know where the real causes originate and still lie. The union shares all the concerns of the Chambers with respect to the long-term deleterious effects this dispute could have for all major players and the country as a whole. The ball of responsible decision making, however, is not in our court.”
The union, instead, urged that the Chambers use their high levels of influence to push the Corporation to “accept their failings and implement meaningful measures to improve the productive capacity of the industry”.
In the statement, GAWU also said that it is pleased that three concerned Berbice Chambers of Commerce have noted the vital importance of the sugar sector to the economic existence and sustainability of Region Six especially.
“These three umbrella business organisations certainly have a major stakeholder interest in having the current impasse between the union and its members and the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) resolved. After all, their members, the scores of business places from Skeldon to New Amsterdam, are already feeling the effects of the low circulation of disposable income.”
GAWU pointed out that it has been noted that the lack of spending power by the thousands of Berbician sugar workers has impacted on the current lack of economic activity in New Amsterdam, its environs and along the Corentyne.
“GAWU, therefore, urges the three Berbice Chambers to transform their concerns into a strong effective lobby through which the Government and GuySuCo will be seized with the crucial need to remedy the faults at the beleaguered Skeldon factory, for starters.”
GAWU went further and encouraged “these concerned representatives of the commercial sector to engage GuySuCo in some serious soul-searching with respect to the Corporation’s treatment of its employees. We suggest that the anxious Berbice Chambers assist GuySuCo to fashion immediate policies to lift worker-morale and attendance.”
Two Fridays ago, sugar workers proceeded on a week-long strike that ended last Wednesday.
GAWU is demanding 15% but the Corporation says it has not money because of low production and dismal turnout of workers.
Recently, GuySuCo approached government for a $2B bailout to help pay creditors and suppliers.
Earlier this week, the Corporation sent notices to workers that it had no money to pay wages and salaries. However, a European customer managed to advance the Corporation some money that will be used to pay the workers.
Although the strike is over, the fallouts still continue. For the week, only 562 tonnes of sugar were produced with just over 120,000 tonnes completed for the crop.
Yesterday, workers’ turnout was dismal again, at 20%, according to the industry’s estimates.
The Skeldon factory was the only one grinding with the seven other estates out of canes.
At Rose Hall, workers reportedly refused to cut and stack the cane and the wet conditions were not ideal for the Bell Loaders. Also at Rose Hall, two gangs are on strike demanding $4000 per bed to cut stale canes while management is offering $1000 per bed.

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“Don’t blame us!” – GAWU tells Berbice Chambers

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