Rose Hall sugar workers to resume duty today

Jan 21, 2011 News

The Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) has confirmed that a number of cane harvesters who refused to work at Albion, Berbice, demanding more money, have agreed to return to duty today.
However, the workers, numbering over 800, will not be returning to Albion but operate from Rose Hall instead, as that estate is set to commence its first crop for the year.
Contacted yesterday, GuySuCo in a statement explained that four harvesting gangs from Rose Hall were harvesting cane there for transport to the Albion factory for grinding.
GuySuCo, faced with over 400,000 tonnes of cane left in the field from the last crop of 2010, had started this year’s first crop weeks earlier than the February commencement to buy time and meet market demands.
The Corporation yesterday explained that in total, 1100 workers were listed, but only 250 turned out. The rest were demanding that they be paid an extra $1000 per bed to harvest cane which was to be harvested in the second crop of 2010.
“However, management contended that no such demands were made by harvesters at Albion who were also harvesting over-run canes at their estate.”
GuySuCo said on Wednesday, Rose Hall harvesters had maintained their demands which saw their strike action continuing for a fifth day.
“Later in the day, the management of the Rose Hall estate met with the striking workers’ representatives where they were informed that management cannot pay extra – solely on the fact that the canes were over-run canes. Rather payments will be made based on the conditions/obstacles in the fields.”
GuySuCo yesterday noted that the workers’ representatives were reminded that the second crop of 2010 had concluded prematurely less than a month ago, and as such, conditions would not have changed much over the space of a few days regarding the finances of the Corporation.
”The meeting concluded with an amicable agreement between the workers rep(s) and management and workers are expected to resume their harvesting operations from tomorrow (Today) for the Rose Hall factory which is scheduled to commence grinding…”
Last week, an estimated 800 workers from Wales who were harvesting canes at Uitvlugt, took strike action demanding payment of benefits. The workers returned after one day when GuySuCo promised to make payments by this week.
The industry, faced with its lowest production in almost two decades in 2010 as well as a massive loss to revenue due to lower world prices, was forced to carry forward over 400,000 tonnes of cane to this year.
A plan to have workers operate through the holidays was shelved because of low turnout, which averaged just over 52% last year, another low for the industry.
While the traditional first crop for sugar would commence in February, GuySuCo had decided to start early with cane on the ground and the industry in dire need of cash from its exported sugar.

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Rose Hall sugar workers to resume duty today

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