Blairmont workers protest payment through the bank

Sep 25, 2018 News

The workers protesting yesterday.

Several workers of Blairmont Estate, West Berbice, took part in a picketing exercise at the estate’s order line to demonstrate their strong disagreement with the decision of the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) to pay their wages through the bank.

The workers are demanding that they receive their monies at the pay offices.

They pointed out that the law requires payment of wages in money only and that there were no consultations on the decision.

The protestors explained that in utilizing the banking system, they will incur bank charges and taxi fares apart from the significant loss of time every week to transact withdrawals from their bank accounts.

The additional costs also must be borne against a backdrop of the present wage freeze imposed in the sugar industry since 2015.

“During that time, workers are now made to pay VAT on electricity and water, taxes have been imposed on previously exempt goods, etc, these are all adding up to making life a nightmare. The demonstrators used the opportunity to call on the Corporation for the timely payment of their wages every week as they are literally living pay day to pay day.

“Delays, as have been occurring so regularly, add to workers’ frustration,” according to the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU).

The protesting workers, according to GAWU, claimed they are being threatened and coerced into agreeing to have their wages sent to the bank.

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