Arising from the intervention of the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU), three (3) employees of the Guyana Forestry Commission (GFC) who were terminated on June 30, 2021, are to uplift from the Commission payments representing their terminal benefits, notice pay, annual leave entitlements, leave passage allowance and travelling allowance.
Our Union having learnt of the workers matter, invited them to meet with the GAWU. Following an extensive engagement where the workers related what transpired and the Union offered its advice and suggestions, the workers decided they wished to receive their outstanding benefits. As a result, the GAWU wrote the Commission by letter of July 07, 2021, demanding the workers’ rights be respected and that they receive all benefits due to them. The GFC agreed with the GAWU representation and thereafter shared the computations with the Union. Following receipt of the calculations, the GAWU engaged the workers to examine collectively their respective computations. An omission was recognised, and this was drawn to the Commission’s attention which it undertook to correcting the calculation. Having cleared the obstacles, the Commission has prepared the workers payments for them to uplift.
The workers have expressed their sincere appreciation to the GAWU as they have recognised the importance of the Union in protecting their rights at the workplace. They believed was it not for the involvement of the GAWU they may have faced greater difficulty considering they were not sure of their rights. Our Union, for its part, is heartened that the workers rights were upheld and the matter was resolved amicably and within a short period. The GAWU remains convinced that only through well-organized Unions will workers have their rights respected.
