As sugar workers continue to strike for better wages and salaries, the Guyana Sugar Corporation today proposed that if this year’s production is 270,000 tonnes sugar or more, an across-the-board increase of 5%, effective from 1st January 2010, will be awarded.The Corporation at the last three meetings on October 12th, 15th and November 3rd 2010 with GAWU reaffirmed its state of indebtedness, caused by low sugar production experienced in the past 5 years.
The Corporation stated that it has repeatedly illustrated to the Union that the low rate of attendance, which for the crop to date is 54%, has been the main contributor, apart from the frequently wet periods, for the crop’s production lagging so far behind.
Guysuco added that if the turnout was at the 80% level as estimated in it’s budgeted numbers, production would have been approximately 40,000 tonnes sugar more than what has been achieved for the year to date. Against this precarious production and financial backdrop, the Corporation urged the Union to strongly consider its proposal for 15% increase in pay this year; since it is clear that the industry’s ability to afford the proposed levels of increases is strained beyond its limit.
