Latest update March 11th, 2025 7:28 AM
Port Mourant workers down tools in protest
Workers from the Albion/Port Mourant estate downed tools yesterday in protest for what they perceive as a result of a price dispute for their services.
GAWU General Secretary Seepaul Narine
According to one worker, they had worked all day on Monday last, with the understanding that they would be paid $200 a row for the cane. However, yesterday morning when they turned up for work, they were not paid for their labour. They subsequently refused to work.
According to a source, there is a weight at which workers cut and load their cane, for which they are paid a fixed price.
Workers, however, sometimes have to take into account obstacles in the fields that would impede their progress when cutting and traversing with the cane, such as vines and weeds. There is no fixed price for this and these prices are normally negotiated between Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) and the workers.
When Kaieteur News made contact with General Secretary of the Guyana Agricultural Workers Union (GAWU) Seepaul Narine, he confirmed the strike action, stating that it was as a result of a pricing dispute and conditions of work.
According to Narine, the workers had planned to withhold their services until the matter was resolved, however after a meeting between union representatives and management of GuySuCo, a tentative truce was reached. He also said that workers should be turning back out to work on the basis that GuySuCo will review their pricing structure and come up with one more amiable to the sugar workers.
Guyana’s sugar target for 2015 is set at 240,000 tonnes. The projected target for last year was 216,000 tonnes.
Though GuySuCo was able to meet its target last year, the industry has faced a slew of problems, not least of which is the Skeldon sugar factory. The US$200M Chinese-built facility has been a drag on the sugar industry, with costs of production above all the other factories in Demerara and Berbice.
It has also failed to reach its targets on a consistent basis.
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