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Blairmont Estate Workers protest unfair dismissal
Sugar workers attached to the Blairmont Sugar Estate on Friday picketed the estate expressing their disappointment over the process which led to one worker being fired and another being sent on six weeks’ leave.
The protesting workers
The workers, led by the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers’ Union (GAWU) are calling for the disputes to be taken to stage four of the agreements GuySuCo has with the union to settle disputes involving workers when a compromise cannot be met.
Stage four involves the discussions between Chief Industrial Relations Officer and senior management from GuySuCo.
The union is claiming that Dharamdeo Brijwala, a cane harvester, was wrongfully dismissed while Khamal Seosahai was unfairly treated in being placed on suspension.
Brijwala and a fellow worker, Nizam Ali had an altercation and had agreed to resolve the matter, but management got involved. Brijwala told Kaieteur News he received a harsh penalty while his colleague got merely a pat on his shoulder.
“Me and the guy get call early morning on de fifth, suh we go to the field manager and he see me fuss. He seh dem had one hearing on de 28th and den he seh ‘you have been summarily dismissed’ suh me left shock shock, cause me nah do nothing wrong. De other guy go in and dem talk, and when he come out meh ask wha dem tell yuh, and he seh dem give he warning. Both ah we get charge for de same thing, suh how come me get lay off and he get warning.”
While Ali was not on the picket line, he did show for work and joined the 942 other harvesters on strike.
Worker’s representative Sevuraj Bridgelall says following the dismissal, union reps met with management and put forward a case that both workers should have received the same penalty.
“It was totally unfair what they did. Both of them get charge with the same thing suh how come dem collect da penalty?”
Meanwhile, Seosahai who was sent on leave says he is being disciplined because he answered the Assistant Factory Manager in representing his rights. According to the workshop mechanic, back in May he was part of a protest over payment.
“De engineer manager call me and address me as ‘you’ so I seh talk to me properly, use meh name, and he mek one whole big problem because me ah fight for me rights. We know we rights and dem does victimize you when you want fight for it.”
GAWU’s Regional representative Harvey Tambron says both matters will be taken to stage four of the agreement between GuySuCo and the union.
The strike got the support of 943 cane harvesters and 45 workshop workers. Of the 385 punts of cane expected to be cut yesterday only 130 were cut.
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