QUOTE: "Workers are calling for an increase and GAWU’s wage claim, according to a statement, was submitted to GuySuCo since March 08, 2015."

Apparently, between March 8 and May 11 GuySuCo ignored GAWU's wage claim for 2015. Why didn't GAWU call a strike during that period?

I believe in workers' right to strike and I think the current strike is justified. Only 2 months left in 2015 but the sugar workers haven't got their wage increases yet. That's bad.

We all know that GuySuCo is in a financial dilemma, having to incur higher production costs per ton of sugar than sales revenue, but the management could have called in the 2 sugar unions and level with them, with the aim of reaching a compromise agreement. 

In the interest of maintaining production and industrial peace, GuySuCo should invite GAWU for talks ASAP.

The COI has recommended privatization in its report and the government will privatize indeed, but until then GuySuCo must meet its contractual obligations. It has a collective bargaining agreement with GAWU to hold wages talks every year.

Gil what would have happen...... if AFC-APNU had shut down the Sugar Industry in May just after elections when the PPP admit the Industry was Bankrupt and cannot pay the sugar workers their paycheck at the end of the month.

If the new Govt did not care about the welfare of the Sugar Workers....they could have easily shut it down....because it was the PPP that left GUYSUCO Bankrupt on May 11th.

Now.....The PPP playing with the sugar workers.....

The Sugar workers are the only ones that will end up getting hurt.

Let us see if Bharat & Bobby are willing to fund the Sugar workers by tipping into their Drugs Account and support their families.

Comment from Pedro Stabroek News:

Why does GAWU continue to mislead sugar workers.

How can an entity that is hoplessly bankrupt continue to pay increases yearly.

Instead of the sugar workers redoubling their efforts to try and minimize Guysuco's losses for 2015, by allowing the year's target to be met, or better still exceeded, they go on strike.

This is a prime example of "cutting ones nose to spite ones face".

They are being paid handsome bonuses for meeting targets, even though the sugar processed is being sold at a huge loss.

The sugar unions and workers are living in a  make belief world, not the real 2015 world.

Guysuco should say strike forever,

it will save us money and

we will have to close and restructure the corporation.

Remove most of the  cost of labour by mechanising as much as they possibly can,

if they can get  a long term loan at a low interest rate, and  also encourage and help private farmers to supply as much cane as possible.

Let us see if the workers will get the same wages and bonuses from private farmers.

If the government is expected to continue the huge subsidies to Guysuco, this political driven nonsense has to stop, NOW!!

Pepie  • Stabroek News 

The industry is insolvent...it can't pay wage increases now. Given the structural changes that will have to come they should not see a wage increase in 5 years.

Yeah?  Tell that to Granger and Moses

A sign of the times ahead in Guyana..Strikes, peaceful protests then what next??  The people can only take so much and then they will rise up against the Government.

That will be a recipe for industrial unrest. GuySuCo Board and Management have to meet with GAWU. Vibert Parvattan cannot be arrogant. When he was PNC Minister of Agriculture in the 1980s he looked down on GAWU and sugar workers.

Why hasn't the coalition-appointed board and management begun 2015 wage talks up to now?

Granted, the PPP government made GuySuCo insolvent and unable to pay increases and that is precisely why this coalition should have taken a proactive approach to ensure the 16,000 employees get their fair increases based on output. 

I can tell you that if Holder and Parvattan take a hardline attitude to GAWU, production targets will not be met. Past experience should have taught them that lesson.

The government has to act fast on the COI report: privatize or rationalize. Meanwhile, it will ignore GAWU at its own peril. I am giving friendly advice here.

i am sympathetic to the workers but not to GAWU/jagdeo

how do we implement "fair" increases in a bankrupt industry with a long-time-now unsustainable payroll?

will you support the painful layoffs that those "increases" require?

what exactly is the endgame here?

Redux, the coalition inherited a ganda-egg called GuySuCo. Raj Singh and the PPP-appointed boards bankrupted the sugar industry. GAWU was lenient then because GAWU is a creature of the PPP. Things different now. If the government wants to hold on to this loss making GuySuCo it will have to close some estates and lay off workers, ie, rationalize. Run a smaller-scale industry efficiently. Personally, I don't like this option.

I am in favour of the COI's recommendation to privatize, sell GuySuCo's assets to local or foreign buyers, except the Chinese. Let the private owners make decisions on labour and other factors of production. Let the owners pay company taxes as Banks DIH and others do.

Reducing the estates might make the PPP say they are screwing Indos again.

But the government should take the bull by the horns and do what is best for the industry.

They cannot continue  subsiding the industry as the PPP did, to find voters favour.

Just do it ....governments are in place to do what is best for the overall welfare of a country. Everyone will never be happy, especially the PPP.

Screw dem, the coalition is trying to put the damaged pieces together, that the PPP destroyed.       

Totally agree with you,down size if they have to,find

markets for cash crops give the affected workers the

land on a lease basis to plant the crops,or let them

become cane farmers and supply the factories.Too

much money is pumping in a failed industry.

Excellent suggestion.

If sugar workers are given the opportunity to become private cane farmers, the industry might rebound. But they might need help to start.

What became of the private cane farmers ? My uncle grew and sold sugar cane to Albion Estate.

He did exceptionally well with his sugar cane, that became their family business.

He also had a big wild-cane whip, that prevented us from eating his profit.    

I hope this strike is not used to sell GuySuCo to those Cuban brothers,

How do you safeguard, that the company that buys the sugar industry, will make it work in favour of the workers ?

Those sugar barons are know for using Sugar Cane Cutter Machines. 

It would seem the purpose of most companies is to automate  and eliminate workers.

The place where I worked for over 30 years now have all contract workers, with no benefits as previous permanent workers.

If companies want to automate, do the have the right to just discard their employees, with no compensation ?   

Even Mcdonalds is working on robots to replace staff.