Latest update November 17th, 2024 1:00 AM
Latest News
- Guyana received US$5.4B in royalty, profits from 500M barrels pumped to date
- Final audit report of Exxon’s US$7.3B expenses sent to company, to be made public next week – Minister Bharrat
- Israeli air raid on Gaza City school turned shelter kills 10 people
- Baby dies, toddler severely burnt in Sophia fire
- Venezuelan- orchestrated cyber operations targeting Guyana – National Defence Institute
Enmore factory workers strike in solidarity with suspended colleagues
A group of workers from the Enmore sugar factory have downed tools to demand the withdrawal of suspension letters issued to three colleagues following the temporary collapse of a main mechanical component of the Enmore mill.
The workers believe that their three colleagues are being used as scapegoats for what they described as the estate management’s negligence, which resulted in the shutting down of a $53M gearbox which facilitates the boiler to generate steam to power the factory.
Some of the striking sugar workers.
Management is blaming the workers for the equipment’s malfunction, a position that is being hotly disputed.
The workers were sent off on Thursday by way of letters which indicated that they are to resume duties on December 5.
But although the letter also indicated that the workers will be paid for the period of suspension, there is some uneasy feeling among them and their colleagues that a dismissal letter will follow, as was the case on previous occasions.
Shift leader Faizul Ahmad, who has been working on the boiler for the past 33 years is one of the affected employees.
He believes that he is being victimized by a senior manager because he has been very critical of the manner with which the factory’s equipment is being looked after.
“I talk to the factory manager the week before…that the boiler fan dem vibrating, dey cutting bolt, Monday we had to change two bolt. But the engineer is claiming that the fans okay, but it can’t okay and cutting bolt,” Ahmad explained.
This situation he said led to severe damage to the boiler’s gearbox, for which the workers are being blamed.
Kaieteur News was told that the engineer accused the workers of negligence.
This newspaper was told that the main mechanism in the gearbox had suffered extensive damage and the workers were blamed for not maintaining the proper oil level.
However when the equipment was stripped to carry out the repair work, it was discovered that it contained sufficient oil to enable it to function properly.
According to Ahmad, the boiler had been running on a makeshift system for a while despite the advice of the workers to the management who in turn paid scanty regard.
The workers claimed that despite warnings that the gearbox was malfunctioning, the engineer insisted that it be turned on, despite it shutting down several times.
The damage to the gearbox has cost the sugar company a few million dollars, especially since the workers will remain on strike until today when they will be meeting with representatives of their union.
“Me ah wan PPP member, me does protect de place I wukkin. Me always like hey. Me get bun deh, me foot bruk deh and me nah lef…me surprise fuh see dis letter wha me get,” Ahmad told this newspaper during a protest outside the Enmore sugar factory yesterday.
Similar Articles
THE BLUNT OF THE DAY
Sports
Features/Columnists
The PPP is in the grip of the bourgeoisie
…Peeping Tom Kaieteur news- The People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) stands at a crossroads. Once the vanguard... more
Rising Gun Crimes in the Caribbean: Urgent Action required by all
By Sir Ronald Sanders Kaieteur News – There is an alarming surge in gun-related violence, particularly among younger... more
Weekend Cartoon
