Disgruntled Rose Hall workers storm out GuySuCo meeting

Dec 20, 2017 News

Frustrated Rose Hall Estate sugar workers yesterday stormed out of two separate meetings that included officials from the Guyana Sugar Corporation. The walk-out was reportedly sparked by an inability of GuySuCo officials to answer questions asked by the workers.

Workers storming out of the meeting.

Several meetings were scheduled to take place yesterday with the top brass of GuySuCo and workers from the Rose Hall Estate. These workers are among the many transferred to the Albion Estate and Blairmont Estate.
Information revealed that the workers would have asked several questions in relation to their placement and work but did not receive responses they were happy with from the officials.
This angered the workers and prompted the walk-out.
“The people left disgruntled; they did not allow the meeting to conclude. The just walk out of the meetings,” the source said.
Meanwhile, the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union, Regional Supervisor for Berbice, Harvey Tombran stated that over 300 workers attended the meetings yesterday.
Tombran said, “the meeting was held to inform the workers that those present will be transferred to either Albion Estate or the Blairmont Estate.The workers asked alot of questions as it regards to transportation, similarities of job opportunities, earnings, etc from Rose Hall Estate compared to Albion and Blairmont Estate but Management seems, well not seems, management is not prepared to answer those questions because they do not have the answers.”
Some of the issues raised by the workers included concerns of retrenchment. “If you working here as a foreman when you being transferred you suppose to be transferred as a foreman,” Tombran stated.
According to the GAWU rep, “Presently management cannot answer basic questions from the workers. They don’t even know the system at Rose Hall. For example, a gentleman working at filter press gang at Rose Hall, he is the second in charge; when they go Blairmont you already have a number two man there.”
Questions were also raised about the process which was used to select workers for termination, transferred and to be retained.
A question also asked by many of the workers was the schedule of the Berbice River Bridge. “Wha gon happen when the bridge is closed?”
One of the officials responded, “Workers would have to adjust themselves”.
The meetings were reportedly headed by an official from GuySuCo together with the management and staff from Rose Hall, Albion and Blairmont Estates.