The Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) finds it necessary to bring clarity to a few contentions raised by Region #6 RDC Councillor, Mr Haseef Yusuf in his letter titled “Unions have become deaf, dumb and blind” that appeared in the January 31, 2018 Guyana Times.
In his letter, Mr Yusuf begins by charging that since 2015 the sugar unions (GAWU and NAACIE) have and are not talking about wage increases in the industry. Quite possibly, Mr Yusuf may not have been following the GAWU’s efforts in this regard despite several articles during the period identified. For the Councillor’s information, in 2015 the GuySuCo blatantly refused to engage the Union contrary to our laws, our Constitution and international conventions. Our Union continued to press for engagement on the wages question and in the face of GuySuCo’s stubborn refusal the workers resorted to industrial action. The Corporation remained intransigent and it was not until March, 2016 that is met the Union on its 2015 claims. That engagement which hardly could be considered as meaningful saw the Corporation communicating that it could not offer any pay rise for 2015. In the case of 2016, the Corporation also engaged the Union on its claims for pay rise and other measures to improve working conditions in estates. Despite, several cogent arguments by the Union, the Corporation, in a disrespectful manner, informed that it could not offer any pay rise which evoked the ire of the workers. Regarding 2017 negotiations, though a meeting took place on the wages issue the matter is still to be concluded. The GAWU had made its presentation to GuySuCo making several arguments to justify its wage claim and the Corporation is considering our submission. We hope to re-engage the GuySuCo soon.
Mr Yusuf goes on saying “…the Government proposed privatisation and this was accepted with open arms by the workers and their union” but this is simply not the case. While indeed, the Government has proposed that Skeldon, Rose Hall and East Demerara Estates be put up for privatisation which vary from an earlier position to close the latter two (2) estates, the GAWU and the NAACIE have not found favour with the proposal. During our January 19, 2018 meeting we clearly reiterated our consistent position that this would be a backward step and one not fully considered. Further to that Prime Minister, Nagamootoo in his contribution to the debate in Parliament on the motion to have the Sugar CoI report examined by the Parliamentary Economic Services Committee referred to a section of a letter GAWU wrote to the Sugar Special Purpose Unit (SPU) in which we expressed strongly our opposition to privatisation. We have told the Government that if it is intent on privatization, in spite of the several drawbacks we recognized and shared, then it should ensure that the arrangements are transparent; that maximum value should be sought for the assets, and that certain working conditions be upheld and workers’ rights safeguarded.
The letter writer then says “[t]he Government agrees to pay the severance but in installments. This satisfied the unions…”. On this score, we wish to advise Mr Yusuf that quite possibly he has been mis-informed given the several contradictory articles that have been appearing in the press. Just to clear the air, our Union did not agree to pay the workers in parts, we insisted and maintained our consistent stance that the workers should receive their severance payments at once in keeping with the relevant law as well as the practice.
We hope that we have been able to bring clarity to matters Mr Yusuf touched on in relation to our Union’s actions. The GAWU recognizes that the Regional Councillor has been speaking positively in defence of the sugar workers in recent times. We are indeed appreciative and look forward to his support as we continue to struggle in the workers defence and to advance their cause. At this time, all allies of the workers need to stand together and not be consumed by the divisive campaign that is being waged by the APNU/AFC Government whose nefarious actions and cold-hearted plans in the sugar industry will haunt Guyana and Guyanese for a long time to come.
