Decision likely soon on sugar sector wages
Stabroek News
February 19, 2003
A three-member arbitration panel should make a multi-year award for increases in wages and salaries for all sugar workers by the end of this month.
The tribunal was set up to examine salary increases over a three-year period after the Ministry of Labour had intervened in two separate industrial disputes between the management of the GUYSUCO and the two unions that represent sugar workers.
Stabroek News understands that the National Association of Agricultural, Commercial and Industrial Employees (NAACIE) has completed making its presentations to the panel and the management of GUYSUCO has since made a reply. The other union, the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers’ Union (GAWU) is to commence its presentation next week. According to a source, a ruling is expected before the end of the month. The sides are meeting at the Supreme Court Library. The tribunal is headed by Chairman of the Public Utilities Commission, Prem Persaud, David Yankana and Norman McLean. NAACIE is demanding a 38% increase in wages and salaries for workers for the year 2001, 30% for 2002 and 23% for 2003. NAACIE represents mostly clerical staff and some factory workers. Guysuco made an interim payout of 4.5% in 2002.
Apart from wages increases, the tribunal is also expected to look into a 3-9% increase in merit increment for NAACIE workers. Guysuco currently offers a 1% across-the-board increment to its staff. GAWU is demanding a 10% increase for wages/salaries for 2002 and 14% for 2003. It is also asking for a 2-5% increase in merit increment for the mainly field and factory workers it represents.
