Sugar workers strike for one day, Govt responded. Teachers not so lucky

Workers of the state-owned Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) downed tools for paid vacation, a strike that lasted for only one day. The workers of the Rose Hall Sugar Estate told Kaieteur News (KN) they were striking because they felt they were receiving the short end of the stick from the government.

Aditya Singh said two weeks prior to the strike GuySuCo promised the workers one-week holiday with pay when the crop was finished. The payment was promised by April 26, 2024. Singh told KN the payment is in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement of 1978 that stipulated after 14 days of work, workers are entitled to one week holiday with pay. On April 29, 2024 because the payment was not made.

Kaieteur News said when it reached out to Minister of Agriculture Zulfikar Mustapha, who was apparently unaware of the strike, but after being informed stated “the workers strike today? I will call GuySuCo to see what is going on and I will get back to you.” The newspaper reported minister never got back to them. The strike ended.

Workers of GuySuCo are represented by the governing People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) industrial arm, the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU).

Meanwhile, Guyana’s public-school teachers have been on strike since February 5, 2024 requesting the government meet with the Guyana Teachers Union (GTU) to engage in collective bargaining on their behalf. The Government has refused to meet with the GTU that in August 2020 submitted a multi-year proposal for better pay and working conditions.

The court on April 19 ruled the teachers’ right to collective bargaining is constitutionally protected but the government has since appealed the decision. The strike is still on. The teachers like the sugar workers have a collective labour agreement that stipulates terms and conditions of employment and the how grievances will be resolved.

What the two scenarios underscore is the disparity in treatment between sugar workers and the nation’s public-school teachers, both of whom are hired by the state. The difference in the two relationships is that sugar workers are represented by GAWU, the industrial arm of the PPP/C, whilst the GTU claims no political affiliation.

One teacher told Village Voice News the disparity in treatment represents the level of discrimination in society and government dislike for public school teachers and the poor. According to the headmaster, who prefers anonymity to speak, “the president and ministers are sending their children to private schools. They do not care about the children who cannot afford private school or prefer the public school where there are  greater opportunities for learning and development.”