NARI coercing workers to sign away severance benefits - AFC charges

NARI coercing workers to sign away severance benefits – AFC charges

Apr 30, 2011 News

…Agri Ministry disappointed at statement

The Alliance for Change (AFC) has accused the body that will replace the National Agriculture Research Institute (NARI) of coercing workers to sign away their severance benefits.
The Ministry of Agriculture has expressed disappointment with the AFC’s statement, but failed to address the specific complaints the workers as stated by the AFC.
The party said it has been informed by scores of employees of the soon to be dissolved NARI that they are being threatened and coerced to sign on to job offers with the newly created National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute (NAREI), the terms and conditions of which they are totally unaware. The new entity officially comes into being on Sunday.
“The employees prefer to accept their severance benefits to which they are entitled under the Termination of Employment and Severance Payment Act and under their collective agreement between NARI and their union: the Union of Agricultural and Allied Workers signed in July 1992,” AFC Presidential Candidate Khemraj Ramjattan said Wednesday.
Ramjattan claimed that the workers are being threatened by officials including an Attorney at Law that if they do not sign, it would mean voluntary withdrawal from employ and hence non-entitlement to severance payments.
“The AFC views this as trickery and an outrage on NAREI’s part and a complete somersault of the position taken by Minister Persaud who made it quite clear in Parliament when the NAREI Bill was being debated that all employees of the old entity (NARI) would be entitled to severance benefits if they did not want to be employed with the new entity (NAREI),” Ramjattan stated.
He said the employees prefer to be paid their severance payments and would thereafter determine whether they want to work
with the new entity.
Ramjattan said the workers total some 270 and will suffer losses of approximating $100 million if the new entity is allowed to have it way.
“This the AFC regards as theft of workers hard earned property,” Ramjattan declared.
The Ministry of Agriculture expressed disappointment at the AFC’s statement but failed to address the party’s claims. The Ministry of Agriculture simply stated that it has repeatedly emphasised to employees that the transitioning of staff of both NARI and the Ministry of Agriculture will be done in accordance with the laws of Guyana including the Pensions Act, the Pensions Regulations, the Termination of Employment and Severance Pay Act and the Public Service Rules.
The Ministry did not deny the allegations of the workers as stated by the workers of NARI, but instead accused the AFC of trying to make it appear that Minister Robert Persaud has been acting
duplicitously and other members of his staff are employing trickery and subterfuge to deprive workers of their hard earned property.
And there seems to be no opening for Mr Bissessar Chintamanie who held three major positions within NARI.
Mr Chintamanie, following his return from India, was head of the Climate Change and Agriculture Adaptation Unit. He was also the Project Coordinator of the Guyana Mangrove Restoration Project, and the National Coordinator for the New Extension Services.
He received a letter yesterday informing him that his contract would expire on May 11.

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NARI coercing workers to sign away severance benefits – AFC charges

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