Don’t use our employees to do political work

Dec 28, 2016 News

– GuySuCo urges unions

Cash-strapped Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) has called on unions and others to desist from using its employees for political work while they are on the job.

GuySuCo’s workers picketing last week for higher wages and salaries and their bonus.

According to the corporation, it has observed that organisations have been misusing agreements (labour) as well as its accommodating posture to engage sugar workers employees in “overt political acts: on the job and on its premises.
GuySuCo is facing huge problems and was unable to pay its 16,000 workers any increase and traditional annual bonus.
Days leading up to Christmas, sugar workers from the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) picketed estates in Demerara and Berbice and Ministry of the Presidency for increases and the bonus.
GAWU has close links to the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) which up to May 2015 was in power for over 23 years. Its President was a senior executive member.
“While it is understood that some of our stakeholders are closely aligned to political entities; the Corporation would prefer if these organisations would desist from encouraging our employees during their working hours and on our premises, to carry out political work,” GuySuCo urged in a statement.
On Wednesday last, GuySuCo said it noted three protests were held at Skeldon, Albion and Rose Hall.
“The placards at two estates – Skeldon and Albion basically displayed the same messages, such as, ‘APNU/AFC Manifesto on sugar – work of Confidence Tricksters’ and ‘APNU/AFC betrayed us – denying us pay increase in 2015 and 2016’.”
GuySuCo insisted that the statements are considered by the corporation to be of a political nature and while employees have a right to protest as citizens in accordance with the Constitution, employees must be aware that this right has a responsibility attached to it.
“Another placard stated, ‘one top man salary in GuySuCo – $5.2 M per month’. The corporation has taken note that this is the second occasion where our employees were engaged in a picketing exercise and were highlighting this matter. This statement is untrue, and the Corporation would like to request that the responsible organisations discontinue their efforts to fuel discord between management and employees.”
GuySuCo admitted that the times are challenging, with the corporation not oblivious to the impacts.
“However, let us continue to work together, work harder and remain focused, while we explore the possibilities together, in our quest to find solutions.”

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