| …says other public sector workers got salary increase in 2015 Budget The Guyana Agricultural and General Workers’ Union (GAWU) has called off its countrywide strike but has since demanded that the wages negotiations between the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) and the union, be resumed by weekend.Agriculture Minister, Noel HolderSeepaul Narine, GAWU’s General Secretary, made the demands of the union known, in a letter addressed to Deodat Sukhu, GuySuCo’s Chief Industrial Relations Manager.GuySuCo has since invited GAWU for a meeting, tomorrow. The move has since been welcomed by GAWU which calls it a long overdue step. GAWU has accepted the invitation.“It is our fervent hope that this meeting is the start of negotiations in earnest on the wages issue for 2015,” GAWU said.On the table for discussions are GAWU’s proposals for wage increases for 2015 and possible adjustments to certain fringe benefits.“We are hopeful that these negotiations will bring positive and satisfactory results especially in the context of the exceptional performances of the workers during the crop which resulted in the surpassing of weekly targets on a number of occasions.”Sukhu, in an earlier missive to the union representing the sugar workers,Wholesale NFL Jerseys, had called for a cessation of industrial action.He had pointed to the need for an assessment to be had of the report of the Commission of Inquiry (COI) into the operations of the industry before resuming any wages talks.But GAWU,Wholesale Jerseys, lamenting the circumstances,Cheap Jerseys From China Online, namely the continued postponement of the wages increase talks for 2015, pointed out that other public sector workers have already received increases through the 2015 National Budget. “Sugar workers are seemingly ignored.”In calling on the union to call off the strike action, Sukhu had pointed to the recent performance in the sugar industry. He described it as being unlike previous years.GAWU General Secretary, Seepaul NarineNarine in response said,Wholesale Hockey Jerseys Canada, “…Like you, we are mindful and appreciative of the production performance which is unlike previous years and to which workers contributed.”He added that even if the weight of the law is not taken into account,Jerseys NBA China, the high level of production and productivity “ought to provide guidance for our negotiations which are yet to commence at this late stage of the year.”With regards to the possible infractions of the relevant laws guiding the talks between GuySuco and the union,Authentic Jerseys Cheap, Narine contended that it is GuySuCo which is not respecting the law of the land.GuySuCo had accused GAWU of being in violation of the Trade Union Recognition Agreement.Narine also agreed with Sukhu, the GuySuco’s Industrial Relations Manager who had cited the “constructive relationship which currently exists between the Corporation and the Union should not be allowed to deteriorate.”According to Narine, “we fully agree…however, GuySuCo’s evasion of negotiations is not helpful to the constructive relationship.”Narine restated that the Union again seeks to engage the Corporation in earnest Collective Bargaining to address its claims which have been submitted since March 8, 2015.GAWU had previously lamented that since the restoration of Collective Bargaining in the sugar industry in 1989, at the insistence of the international financial institutions, the commencement of wage negotiations for the 25 years were never delayed as late as October.Meanwhile the industrial action by sugar workers from Sunday last has since been condemned by Government as being politically motivated, a charge vehemently denied by the opposition People’s Progressive Party (PPP).Party General Secretary,NFL Jerseys Supply, Clement Rohee, on Monday last told media operatives “this strike as far as I am aware is an industrial action.”He rubbished any other insinuations and said that his party would be ignoring those suggestions, namely that there was some political motivation behind the strike action.“What we are seeing now is really an industrial action by the sugar workers.”“When workers feel peeved the only weapon that they have to resort to in order to make their voices heard is strike action,” said Rohee. |
