GUYSUCO grinds to virtual halt on second day of NAACIE strike
Corporation denies opposed to arbitration
Stabroek News
October 23, 2002
Grinding operations across the seven sugar estates in the country came to a virtual standstill yesterday as workers represented by the National Association of Agricultural, Commercial and Industrial Employees (NAACIE) continued to protest for an increase in wages and salaries.
Were the strike to continue much longer, field workers not involved in the industrial action could be told to stay home, a GUYSUCO official said yesterday.
The strike started after what NAACIE General President, Kenneth Joseph had said was GUYSUCO's refusal last week to proceed to arbitration. This was confirmed by Mohamed Akeel, Chief Labour Officer who was the chairman of the meeting.
But Industrial Relations Director of GUYSUCO, Petam refuted this claim, adding that at the meeting Akeel only suggested that in the best interest of time, effort and cost and the fact that the two parties have not come to an agreement on wages and salaries for this year, it would be wise if they set up an arbitration tribunal to deal with wages and salaries increases for 2001, 2002 and 2003.
Stabroek News was told that the union requested a 38% across-the-board increase last year for its workers along with a 3%-9% increase in merit increments for workers who performed well over the year. During that very period the corporation increased the wages and salaries of all employees within the union's bargaining unit by 8.5% across-the-board and a 1% merit increment with effect from January 1, 2001.
Petam said yesterday that the corporation and the union have been engaged in discussions over the last nine months under the chairmanship of the Ministry of Labour and the terms of reference and modalities were clearly outlined.
Under the guidance of Akeel, they selected a three-man arbitration panel with Father Malcolm Rodrigues as chairman and Permanent Secretary within the Public Service Ministry, Nanda Gopaul and David Yankana as the two members. According to the GUYSUCO official, on September 16 of this year they received a letter from Rodrigues stating his unavailability to take up the post because of other engagements overseas.
Subsequent to Rodrigues' letter, Gopaul wrote to the chairman indicating his unwillingness to continue as a member of the panel, stating that to take up such a position would be a conflict of interest. Petam further stated that immediately after that meeting NAACIE submitted to the chairman five names on October 11 from which two persons would be selected, one to be the chairman and the other a member. The names submitted by the union were Donald Trotman, Aubrey Bishop, Norman McLean, Norman Semple and Vidyanand Persaud.
The two sides, Petam said were then summoned to another meeting on October 17 and it was at that meeting, Akeel made the three-year wages/salaries negotiation proposal to them. Petam said the sugar corporation has since signalled its willingness to consider the proposal. However, at that same meeting the General Secretary of NAACIE had asked for a recess to discuss the proposal with the union's delegation. Upon resumption the union's general secretary informed the conciliator that the union had rejected the proposal and that it would proceed on strike. Petam also recalled that Joseph had said at the meeting that the corporation had breached the collective agreement.
Petam said in addition to last year's request, NAACIE has since proposed to the corporation a 30% across-the-board increase in wages/salaries and a 3%-9% increase in merit increments for this year.
Petam reiterated that in accordance with the collective agreement, it has mutually agreed with the union the selection of the chairman and members of the tribunal and the terms of reference. It is also saying that except for one meeting where the preliminaries were discussed, the corporation and the union have not negotiated wages/salaries for 2002.
Commenting on the impact of the strike, Petam said it was reported to him that all of the factories have suffered severe setbacks. He said that if the workers continue to stay away, a large number of the cane harvesters and factory workers would not be required to work. As it is now all of the factories are virtually shut down," Petam said. Moreover, he noted that for any grinding to take place workers from the processing unit and boilers are essential. He said these persons have not turned out to work and as a result there is no need for the cane harvesters and some factory personnel. Petam said some 70% of the clerical staff are off the job which is causing tremendous pressure on administration personnel. (Nigel Williams)