Uitvlugt estate workers strike
Claim 98 bags of sugar missing
By Nigel Williams
Stabroek News
December 3, 2003
The alleged disappearance of 98 bags of sugar is among the issues which led to Guyana Agricultural and General Workers' Union (GAWU) members going on a one-day strike at the Uitvlugt sugar estate yesterday.
But General Manager of the estate, Abdul Gafoor, told this newspaper that he was unaware of the disappearance of any sugar, adding that he had records to prove otherwise.
He said, too, that he was very disappointed with the workers and their union, since the issues, which they raised with him as the reason for them going on strike yesterday were not what they advanced to the media. The two sides are scheduled to meet today to iron out some of the issues.
In a telephone interview with this newspaper yesterday, Gafoor said the workers told him that they were proceeding on strike yesterday over the outsourcing of the estate's canteen service, the non-settlement of a dispute with regard to the estate's weekly production target and the high water charges by the Guyana Water Inc for water supplied to the estate. None of these matters has so far been discussed between the union and management.
He said the strike did not affect the factory's production yesterday as there was no cane to be ground. However, there was no harvesting yesterday, which would cripple production today especially if it rains. Gafoor confirmed that around 48% of the cane harvesters stayed away yesterday, 15% of the field workshop workers and a large number of factory workers. To compound the situation it rained heavily yesterday forcing the cane cutters to stay off the fields.
In a press release issued yesterday, GAWU warned that the strike could continue if Gafoor did not respond appropriately on issues which were represented by the union at the local level.
Among the matters which the union outlined as not being addressed by management and which forced the strike action are the alleged inability to account for 98 bags of sugar, the failure of the estate to fill vacancies in the water management sectors, the denial of protective clothing to mechanical tillage operators and the arbitrary outsourcing of the canteen service.
Contacted yesterday, Gafoor said he was unaware of any sugar being unaccounted for. According to the GM, the union's claim is, inaccurate and the estate has records to prove.
However, according to a source close to GAWU, the discrepancy with respect to the missing sugar was discovered recently. The source told this newspaper that the estate had a contractual arrangement with a private individual who provides storage for some of the estate's sugar and also acts as a sale agent.
Stabroek News was told that the 98 bags of sugar were part of a
quota handed over to the contractor for storage but it could not be accounted for.
According to reports there is inadequate space at the Uitvlugt factory and as such over the years the contractor has been storing hundreds of bags of sugar for the estate.
The GAWU source said the union raised the matter with management of the estate and though there was some amount of evidence to substantiate the claim, the matter was not addressed.
Stabroek News understands that it is not the first time a substantial amount of sugar had gone missing while in the hands of contractors. The union is calling for a thorough investigation into the matter, saying that the estate's reputation was at stake.
On the issue of the vacancies, Gafoor told this newspaper that there were certain procedures which had to be followed before those vacancies were filled. He said management had already advised the union about it but the union seemed unwilling to follow the procedure.
"I really feel this was not a issue especially when we had done everything possible to advise them about the procedure," Gafoor said.
Asked to comment on Gafoor's statement the union source said the filling of the vacancies was a matter of urgency. "We cannot continue to have eight persons doing what twelve persons should be doing without the necessary overtime or other benefits."
The vacancies are for work to clean and maintain the drainage and irrigation canals around the cane fields.
On the issue of the denial of protective gear for mechanical tillage operators, Gafoor said the union was misleading the public. According to the GM, initially the union had requested protective gear for the mechanics and not the mechanical operators as it was now claiming. He said the corporation's policy did not allow for mechanics to be issued with protective gear, but tillage operators were entitled to it.
However, the GAWU source told Stabroek News that the union had always bargained for protective gear for the tillage operators and not the mechanics. "We are aware of the company's policy and would not have asked for something which we knew we couldn't get."
Gafoor however assured that once they were tillage operators who were in need of protective gear the corporation would issue same. GAWU's contention is that the rainy season has now stepped in and as such there is greater need for the protective gear now. Some of the gear include, long boots, helmets, rain cloaks among other things.
On the question of the outsourcing of the canteen service, Gafoor said management's decision could not be deemed arbitrary when there was a union representative on the tender board. He said the outsourcing of all of the corporation's canteens was a decision taken by management at the highest level. He said the corporation could not adequately run the canteens and felt that they would be better run in the hands of private individuals. The GAWU source again, contended that the tender award process was not transparent and that the person who was awarded the contract is a relative of a top management official at the estate.