CombatIssue#: 6 Volume#: 30 November, 2009Voice of the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU)

GAWU: IN ANOTHER STRUGGLE FOR SUGAR WORKERS’ RIGHTS

FRONT PAGE COMMENT

This near-the-year-end edi-tion of COMBAT may be con-sidered a special edition to capture the spirit, essence and implication of yet anoth-er battle by the Guyana Agri-cultural and General Work-ers Union (GAWU) on behalf of its sugar sector members.

GAWU’s very birth and original raison d’être has to do with the pursuance, pro-motion and representation of Guyana’s sugar-workers rights, conditions of work, and all-round well-being. The country’s trade union history is replete with the record of our struggles, even to be recognized by the post-colonial Sugar Lords and the agency of the Burn-ham regime. After recogni-tion, struggle after struggle, strike after strike, GAWU has championed sugar-workers’ cause.

As a responsible bargain-ing agent, the union is seized with the vital importance of the sugar sector to the na-tional economy, now con-tinually under severe stress. Hence, GAWU is not given to having its members in-dulge in labour stoppages to thwart sugar production. But we cannot allow the current

GAWU on Dr Luncehon’s

comments

COMBAT: November, 2009 Page One

The Union’s Negotiation Team of representatives from the eight (8) sugar locations and officials of the Union at one of the negotating sessions

The Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) submitted two (2) sets of claims on behalf of the field foremen/forewomen and the field and fac-tory workers bargaining units to the Guyana Sugar Corporation Inc (Guysuco) on 24th March, 2009 and 11th June, 2009 respectively.

However, it was not until 28th August, 2009 that the Corpora-tion invited the Union to address the claims. After eight (8) bilat-eral meetings, the parties, un-able to reach an agreement on the Union’s wage claim of fifteen (15) per cent for this year (2009), agreed to invite the Ministry of Labour, Human Service and Social Security to provide conciliatory services.

The Corporation made a three

management to make the workforce the scapegoats for its own continuous instances of widespread mis-manage-ment.

In this regard, besides the publication of the various re-leases, articles and features GAWU has produced over the period of the latest impasse which has now gone to Ar-bitration, COMBAT has also published herein the excepts from two (2) Reports sub-mitted after enquires into Guysuco’s administration and (mis)management of the sugar industry.

It is unfortunate that as the year 2009 hurtles to its con-clusion and the nation, in-cluding sugar-workers who produce to earn the ,same nation so much foreign ex-change – gets ready to enjoy a long Season of Peace and Goodwill towards men, that we at GAWU must fight an-other fight to earn our sugar sector members just what they would normally de-serve. But that is one reason for which we exist. COMBAT sends you early Christmas 2009 Greetings, even as you consider our just cause and case. Until our next End-of-Year edition.

(3) per cent offer which it stuck to at the bilateral and concilia-tory exchanges. The Union, on the request of the Corporation at concilation to demonstrate its en-deavor for a settlement, adjusted its demand to ten (10) per cent. The Chief Labour Officer, unable to bridge the gap between the Union and the Corporation after five (5) meetings, declared the dispute deadlocked on 29th Octo-ber, 2009.

The Corporation then requested that the dispute be referred to ar-bitration in keeping with the pro-cedure set out in the Recognition and Avoidance and Settlement of Disputes Agreement and pointed out that should the Union agree to

Continued on back page

WAGES DISPUTE AT ARBITRATION

Who wants to gag Dr Roger Luncheon, Head of the Presi-dential Secretariat in speak-ing on sugar? At least not any sugar worker nor the Guy-ana Agricultural and General Workers Union! Continued on page two

COMBAT: November, 2009 Page Two

CORRESPONDENCE: Exposing Guysuco’s “Targets” and Schemes

Dear Editors, The Chief Executive Officer of the Guyana Sugar Cor-poration (Guysuco) reportedly stated, during his ap-pearance on “Close Up” which was broadcast on NCN on October 30, 2009, that the Guyana Sugar Corporation would lose some 17,000 tonnes of burnt canes equiv-alent to 1,550 tonnes sugar from the current strike. Is this assertion factual? As at today, (Monday) November 02, 2009 there were close to 3,600 tonnes burnt cane across the industry. This figure was garnered from usu-ally reliable and impeccable sources. Should the canes remain un-processed it will amount to approximately 305 tonnes sugar. The goodly gentleman should have revealed that some 2,400 tonnes of burnt canes were abandoned at Skel-don before the current strike commenced, albeit at the Skeldon Factory which is affected by a host of problems. It is to be hoped that sugar workers are not made scape-goats for this wastage. Guysuco indicated through the 2009 National Budget, a production of 290,000 tonnes sugar, this was later re-vised to 250,000 tonnes then 242,000 tonnes. Before the workers’ protest over the withdrawal of the three (3) per cent wage increase it was a known fact that there were enough canes to produce 235,000 tonnes sugar according to the Corporation’s latest assessment, again according to reliable sources. Did you remember GAWU said in its Press Statement of October 14, 2009, that it “is of the view that the decision by the Guyana Sugar Corporation to withdraw from the wage/salary negotiation is influenced by ulterior mo-tives?” Blame the workers and the Union for the sugar production which will be less than the originally bud-geted number. The Corporation knew of the silent in-ternal revision even before any industrial action, which they precipitated, was taken by the workers and the union.Yours faithfully,Seepaul NarineGeneral Secretary

MEET OUR ADVOCATE:Dr Roodal Moonilal

Dr. Roodal Moonilal BSC., LLB, MA, PhD., MP, is a free-lance research-er associated with several re-gional and in-t e r n a t i o n a l labour study efforts and a Caribbean In-dustrial Rela-tions advisory and advocacy consultant.

Dr. Moonilal possesses a BSc. Degree (Hons.) in Gov-

ernment from the University of the West Indies (UWI), St Augustine, an LLB degree in law (University of Lon-don), a Masters of Arts Degree in Labour and Devel-opment (on Scholarship) from the Institute of Social Studies in The Hague, the Netherlands and a Ph. D. in Development Studies. He specialized in Industrializa-tion, Labour Relations and Urban Employment and his thesis received the first Cum laude distinction in the history of the Ph. D. program at the Institute of Social Studies. Dr. Moonilal is also an Associate of the Geneva based management consultancy firm Hagen Resources International (HRI).

Dr Moonilal was a part-time tutor in Politics at UWI (1988-91, 1993-94, 1996), worked as Head of the De-partment of Education, Research and Training, All Trini-dad Sugar and General Workers Trade Union (1989-91, 1993-95) and was a Teaching and Research Assistant (TRA) at the Institute of Social Studies, The Hague (1995, 1997-98). In 1999, he was Director, Policy Moni-toring Unit, Office of the Prime Minister. Dr. Moonilal is currently a part time lecturer at the UWI teaching in the areas of Industrial Relations in the Caribbean Public Sector and Compensation Management.

Dr. Moonilal has published nine papers on labour re-lations including “The Impact of New Human Resource Management Strategies on Caribbean Industrial Rela-tions and Worker Organizations; Worker Protection: The Case of Trinidad and Tobago; Changing Labour Re-lations and the Future of Trade Unions; and “Modern-ization of Public Institutions and Labour Administra-tion: Caribbean Challenges”. Dr. Moonilal has presented several papers to industrial and labour relations fora across the Caribbean.

Dr. Moonilal was a former President of the Society for the Promotion of Indian Culture (SPIC) at the UWI campus and has actively promoted Indian culture in his constituency of Oropouche over the past 6 years.

In 2003 he became one of the youngest profession-als in the World to be included in the prestigious “Inter-national WHO IS WHO of Professionals for the period 2003-2004”. A strong motivational speaker and social worker, Dr. Moonilal has served as Minister in the Minis-try of Labour and is currently an elected Member of Par-liament and Chairman of the constitutionally appointed Public Accounts Committee (PAC) in the Parliament of Trinidad and Tobago.

INVEST IN OUR SUGAR WORKERS

Where We Stand - Facts & Figures

Continued from page three Sugar workers are the industry’s prime stakeholders. Their presence, contributions and dedication are required to ensure the industry’s prosperity. The Corporation needs to invest in the workers and to sincerely take into account the workers’ role to keep the wheels of the indus-try turning profitably, once there is adequate production arising from better productivity. The Union and the workers stand ready to negotiate a settlement to the current wage dispute, taking into ac-count the crossroads at which the industry has unfortu-nately found itself. Guysuco, should it fail to invest in the workers could very well contribute to the further weak-ening of the industry at this crucial juncture. Never to be ignored is the role of the industry in terms of employment opportunity, employees contribution to taxes, its foreign exchange capacity, etc and not forgetting its contribution of G$34B to the coffers of the Government by way of the controversial Sugar Levy. GAWU’s stands ready to discuss and defend its position as outlined in the above brief. Research DepartmentGAWU

GAWU on Dr Luncheon’s Comments

Continued from Page One

Dr Roger Luncheon at his post-cabinet press briefing on November 12, 2009 is reported to have said that “the current demands of the workers threaten to complicate the recovery effort”.

Far from it. The workers’ struggle is to obtain a small reward for their backbreaking work in a productive industry. This reward or wage increase in today’s cir-cumstances is essential for the upkeep of the workers and their families. It enables the industry to retain the required labour force which is imperative to the success of the Turnaround Plan. Given Dr Luncheon’s long asso-ciation with past struggles, we are sure he understands this requirement of workers.

Two (2) decades ago there was a “Turnaround Plan” which saw the Industry recovering from under 200,000 tonnes to 243,000 tonnes in 1992 to an average of 320,000 tonnes between 2002 and 2004.

Was the regime in a deep slumber over the past years when average yield per hectare across the industry was tumbling? Who failed to terminate the Booker-Tate con-tract until 31st March, 2009?

Dr Luncheon is reported to have said: “Sugar is more than a matter of sugar workers. Sugar is about local economy.” Why is the good doctor attempting to dimin-ish the significant role of the sugar workers in the coun-try’s economy?

The industry should never have found itself in its cur-rent financial state, noting the expert Management that ought to have been provided by Booker-Tate Limited (BTL) which possessed the competence and expertise to manage to an international standard. The poor volume of sugar production is the fundamental problem of the industry today. This is clear even to the myopic.

Dr Luncheon spoke of the debt contracted in the con-struction of the Skeldon factory. It is said that the facto-ry has design and engineering defects. Imagine between 2002 and 2008 under the supervision of Booker-Tate, it is reported, that only 1,500 hectares out of 4,685 hect-ares – expanded cultivation to develop – was tilled. By the end of this year Skeldon Estate should have pro-duced 110,000 tonnes of sugar. Sadly we do believe such level of production will be possible in later years. And, if it doesn’t, who should we hold responsible. Certainly, not the workers! Again, we want to believe that Dr Lun-cheon is quite aware of the relevant facts.

Do remember from Guysuco’s own funds, the Corpora-tion contributed G$13B towards the realization of the Skeldon Sugar Modernization Project (SSMP), not for-getting the remaining G$24B taken as loans by the in-dustry.

The Skeldon factory, which has been described as a jewel in the crown of Guysuco, has so far failed to make a positive cash contribution to the Corporation despite the massive investment. This is a crucial period when SSMP should be making its maximum contribution should the industry.

The GAWU is surprised by Dr Luncheon’s state-ment and feels in the interest of workers and the sugar industry we should clarify certain matters. We look forward, at this time, to the sympathetic approach of Dr Luncheon as in the past struggles. In our part, we intend to remain loyal to the interest of our members, whilst not being irresponsible in doing so.

COMBAT: November, 2009 Page Three

INVEST IN OUR SUGAR WORKERSWhere We Stand - Facts & Figures

The Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) wishes to present to the public the undermen-tioned facts relevant to the current performance of the Guyana Sugar Corporation Inc (Guysuco), lest the public be misguided by the Corporation’s perspective only.

EARNINGS, PRODUCTION – AND IMPLICATIONS Notwithstanding that the Corporation is confronted by a thirty-six (36) per cent price-cut imposed by the Europe-an Union, Guysuco’s average export price has not been on the decline. Instead, there has been an increase which un-doubtedly, is attributable to the appreciation of the Euro vis-à-vis the US dollar. The Euro, when it was introduced on January 01, 1999 was at par with US dollar. Subse-quently it depreciated and by October, 2000 it reached an all-time low whereby one Euro was equivalent to US$0.82. However, since then, the Euro has gained significant value and as at October 27, 2009 one Euro was equivalent to US$1.48. Guysuco’s export-earnings are repatriated in US dollars.Taking into account the average export prices over the last five (5) years, it was, according to Guysuco’s own 2008 Annual Report, as follows:-

2004 - G$87,498 per tonne2005 - G$92,835 per tonne2006 - G$107,332 per tonne2007 - G$110,676 per tonne2008 - G$115,832 per tonne

It is important to note that from 2005, the year prior to the first phase of the price-cut to last year (2008), the second phase of the price-cut, the average price rose by 24.7 per cent. Accordingly, the Corporation’s revenue position has not been declining over the last five (5) years, as is illustrated hereunder:-

Year Revenue Sugar Production

2004 G$30.7B 325,317 tonnes2005 G$27.7B 246,072 tonnes2006 G$32.4B 259,549 tonnes2007 G$35.1B 266,482 tonnes2008 G$32.1B 226,267 tonnes

Had sugar production remained at the 2002-2004 level, averaging almost 320,000 tonnes per annum and even higher, the revenue position of the Corporation would have been immeasurably higher. The currently high world market price of over US23 cents per pound at this point in time, would have contributed to even higher revenue. The Union also finds it interesting that the Corporation yielded almost the same levels of revenue in 2006 and 2008, but however, made a profit of G$476M in 2006 and a loss of G$4.089B in 2008. The loss last year can be attributed to the excessive amount of canes utilized at Skeldon during the trials of the new factory – approximately 60,000 tonnes. For 2008, the cost of production at Skeldon was approximately US40 cents per pound, undoubtedly as a result of the massive wastage of canes and the delay in new factory becoming functional. The Employment Cost for all categories of employees of this labour intensive industry for the corresponding pe-riod was as follows:-

Year Employment Cost

Wage Increase

2004 G$16.4B 5 per cent2005 G$14.7B 5 per cent2006 G$16.6B 5.5 per cent2007 G$17.3B 8.5 per cent2008 G$17.5B 6 per cent

It is noted that despite thirty four (34) per cent com-pounded increase in wages over the above-mentioned pe-riod, the Corporation’s Employment Cost rose merely by 6.7 per cent. It is also worthy to note that the aggregate annualized inflation rate was forty-four (44) per cent re-sulting in the deterioration of workers real income. The Corporation’s argument that a rise in pay of every one (1) per cent will require G$150M, noting the analysis and rev-elation of the above-mentioned table, is baseless. The seasonal sugar industry does not provide work to its field workers regularly, the bulk of whom are offered work less than forty (40) weeks per year. Further, the fact that the industry’s workforce is gradually on the decline, the rise in the wage bill is not proportional. The Union submits that the industry, given its almost 45,000 hectare cultivation, the capacity of its eight (8) fac-tories, its other assets and its reliable and hardworking workforce, is simply not growing the requisite quantity and the quality of canes to utilize adequately its produc-tive capabilities.

MIS-MANAGEMENT AND PRODUCTION DECLINE The Union, over the last five (5) years, had identified the abysmal management of the industry by Booker-Tate as the main cause of the industry’s woes, but our calls fell on deaf ears and the Corporation did not terminate that institution’s entanglement with the industry earlier than when it took place. The contract was finally terminated in March, this year. It was pellucid that Booker-Tate had departed from its obligations enshrined in the contract it entered into. Noteworthy is that among its contractual obligations, it had agreed “to monitor and maintain the standards and best practices of management/operations in the areas of agriculture, factory, finance, procurement, administration, human resources, information technology and marketing.” In the Union’s opinion, the alleged inability of Booker-Tate to fulfil its contractual obligations constituted a breach of contract and, therefore, justifies the need for compensation by Booker-Tate, as the Union finds it dif-ficult to fathom how such clear-cut cases of mismanage-ment could have been perpetuated. Last year, the industry sunk to its lowest level since 1990 having produced 226,267 tonnes of sugar only. The Union submits that had the industry produced according to its revised target of 260,000 tonnes as was determined by a Booker-Tate official, among others, following the con-clusion of an audit of the industry’s cultivation, before the commencement of the second crop last year (2008), the industry’s revenue would have increased by G$4B and thus, there would not have been the massive loss of G$4.089B in 2008 as declared by the Corporation earlier this year. We wish now to make some references to the poor and plummeting sugar production reflected mainly on the De-merara Estates:-

1. The four (4) Demerara Estates – Enmore, LBI/Dia-mond, Wales and Uitvlugt produced a total of 85,068 tonnes of sugar in 2008 (a bad year) as against 128,208 tonnes in 2004 (a good year), representing a decline of 50.7 per cent.

2. A ministerial appointed Commission of Enquiry, in 2008, in its report on the performance of East De-merara Estates, found that cane fields, just a stone’s throw away from Guysuco’s Head Office, where the CEO and other senior functionaries are located, had had sparse cane growth, significant weed infestation and poor drainage.

3. Wales Estate, which was producing sugar at sixty two (62) tonnes per hectare in 2007, is now producing canes at forty two (42) tonnes per hectare. This es-tate’s factory facilitates 775 farmers who supply al-most 50 per cent of the canes crushed at that location for their almost 2,200 hectares or 5,400 acres. Should this Estate be allowed to decline?

4. A Review Committee found in 2007 that Uitvlugt Es-tate’s cultivation was significantly rundown with a significant proliferation of weeds in the fields and in the canals of the Estate. Even more revealing was the testimony given by a previous General Manager to the Committee, whereby he confirmed that he was tasked by the Chief Executive, a Booker-Tate personnel, to prepare a Paper for the closure of the Estate despite the mandate of the Guysuco’s Board to maintain pro-ductively all eight (8) estates. The rumour that the Estate was slated for closure had a demoralizing ef-fect on the Estate’s workforce as it was widely said that the Estate was going to be closed leading to high incidences of absenteeism and lack of commitment.

5. The closure of the Diamond cultivation, a sizable area of some 2,600 hectares (6,424 acres) of prime arable land requiring no drainage pumps unlike many of the industry’s other cultivated areas, is imminent. The Corporation has proposed the expansion of the East Demerara cultivation in order to offset the produc-tion loss resulting from the closure of the Diamond cultivation and to satisfy the cane demand of the con-solidated Enmore factory which is slated to become operational in 2012. Interestingly, it is known that the proposed “new land area” was previously retired by Guysuco because it was established that the soil was not adequately productive and, as marginal lands, it was not economically viable to cultivate. The Union asks Why Abandon Prime Arable Land and Adopt Less Arable But Marginal Lands? Is it to further drive another nail in the coffin to establish that the Dem-erara Estates are not economical to retain? Who will buy the land of this cultivation valued by Guysuco at G$30.6B? Will squatters take it over? Or will it be ac-quired without compensation by the Government?

6. The expansion of Skeldon Estate’s cultivation by 4,685 hectares is now being aggressively undertaken by the management of Skeldon Estate. The expansion should have been completed simultaneously with the commissioning of the new factory. The project, while under the direction of Booker-Tate, merely expanded 1,500 hectares from 2002 to 2008 when Booker-Tate was belatedly released from the land expansion com-ponent of the contract. Not having the 1.2 million tonnes of cane to supply the new factory, is depriv-ing the industry to benefit from sugar production this year by almost 80,000 tonnes.

Continued on page two

COMBAT: November, 2009 Page Four

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The workers at Argentina’s occupied ceramics fac-tory, FASINPAT (Factory Without a Boss), won a major victory this week: the factory now definitively belongs to the people in legal terms. The provincial legislature voted in favor of expropriating the ceramics factory and handing it over to the workers cooperative to manage le-gally and indefinitely. Since 2001, the workers at Zanon have fought for legal recognition of worker control at Latin America’s largest ceramics factory which has cre-ated jobs, spearheaded community projects, supported social movements world-wide and shown the world that workers don’t need bosses. “This is incredible, we are happy. The expropriation is an act of justice,” said Alejandro Lopez the General Secretary of the Ceramists Union, overwhelmed by the emotion of the victory. “We don’t forget the people who supported us in our hardest moments, or the 100,000 people who signed the petition supporting our bill.” Hundreds of workers from the FASINPAT factory waited anxiously until the late hours of the night for the legislature’s decision. The expropriation law passed 26 votes in favor and 9 votes against the bill. Thousands of supporters from other workers’ organizations, human rights groups and social movements, along with entire families and students, joined the workers as they wait-ed outside the provincial legislature in the capital city of Neuquén. Enduring the Patagonian winter weather, activists played drums and shouted: “here they are the workers of Zanon, workers without a boss.” FASINPAT has operated under worker control since 2001 when Zanon’s owners decided to close its doors and fire the workers without paying months of back pay or severance pay. Leading up to the massive layoffs and plant’s closure, workers went on strike in 2000. The owner, Luis Zanon, with over 75 million dollars in debt to public and private creditors (including the World Bank for over 20 million dollars), fired en masse most of the workers and closed the factory in 2001-a bosses’ lockout. In October 2001, workers declared the plant un-der worker control. The workers subsequently camped outside the factory for four months, pamphleteering and partially blocking a highway leading to the capital city of Neuquén. While the workers were camping outside the factory, a court ruled that the employees could sell off remaining stock. After the stock ran out, on March 2, 2002, the workers’ assembly voted to start up produc-tion without a boss. Since the occupation, the workers renamed the factory FASINPAT (Factory without a Boss). The workers set up a stage with a giant screen for the thousands of supporters to view the legislative vote. As the decision was read, workers embraced one another in tears in disbelief that after 8 years of struggle they fi-nally won legal control of the factory. “This decision re-flects an organized struggle that won the support all of society,” said Veronica Hullipan from the Confederation of Mapuche. She said that the network of Mapuche in-digenous communities in the Patagonia have supported the Zanon workers’ struggle and said legal decision is a “political triumph of workers’ organization.”

Zanon workers reminded their supporters that the struggle of Zanon, was also the struggle of Carlos Fuent-ealba, a public school teacher from the province of Neu-quén killed by a police officer during a peaceful protest in defense of public education. The Zanon workers have not only created jobs, but they have supported workers struggles locally, nationally and internationally. Workers from FASINPAT were present at the protest where Fuen-tealba was shot point blank in the head with a tear gas canister, in police repression ordered by the conserva-

tive ruling coalition of Neuquén MPN, which has ruled the Patagonian province since the 1976-1983 military dictatorship. “This is an important chapter in the struggle of the Za-non workers, who have been fighting in the streets for more than 9 years. First they tried to evict us in order to auction off the factory, the workers’ struggle and the community pressured the government to expropriate the factory,” Raul Godoy, Zanon worker told the national news daily Página/12. Today, the plant exports ceramics to 25 countries. Many legislative representatives wanted to demand that the workers at the self-managed factory “guarantee a pact for social peace.” But for the workers, the pact for social peace is broken when businessmen fraudulently go bankrupt and throw hundreds of workers out into the street. “The capitalists are constantly declaring war with tariff increases, by privatizing public companies and with firings. Before this situation, the workers must defend themselves; and the workers at Zanon commit to defending ourselves, in the street, however we have to.” According to the legislation passed, the FASINPAT co-operative which employs 470 workers and exports ce-ramics to more than 25 countries, will remain under the control of the cooperative. The state would pay off 22 million pesos (around $7 million) to the creditors. One of the main creditors is the World Bank - which gave a loan of 20 million dollars to Luis Zanon for the construc-tion of the plant, which he never paid back. The other major creditor is the Italian company SACMY that pro-duces state of the art ceramics manufacturing machin-ery and is owed over $5 million. However, the workers have resisted the state pay-off, saying that courts have proven that the creditors participated in the fraudulent bankruptcy of the plant in 2001, because the credits went directly to the owner Luis Zanon and not invest-ments into the factory. “If someone should pay, Luis Za-non should pay, who is being charged with tax evasion,” said Omar Villablanca from FASINPAT.

Victory, then an eviction

While the victory of FASINPAT brings hope to many of the 200 occupied factories currently operated under worker self-management in Argentina, many are still facing legal attacks. Early yesterday morning, just hours after the Zanon victory, a police operative evicted the fac-tory Textil Quilmes, a thread factory occupied in the new wave of factory occupations in 2009. The four workers on night guard were evicted violently. The Buenos Aires provincial government is currently debating an expro-priation bill for Textil Quilmes and several other new occupations in the Buenos Aires province. The textile workers are resisting the eviction at the factory’s doors, rallying support to re-enter the factory despite police presence. They also had temporary legal protection, fol-lowing an expropriation bill that was approved unani-mously by the lower house in the provincial legislature. The workers occupied the plant on February 11, 2009. “We camped outside the plant to avoid the bosses’ liq-uidation of the machinery. And the workers decided to take a direct action, occupy and form a cooperative,” said Eduardo Santillán, a Quilmes textile worker. With the remaining cotton left in the plant, the workers immedi-ately began to produce cotton thread. At the time of the firing, more than 80 worked at the plant. In a common practice for business owners who file bankruptcy de-spite an increased demand for their product, the owner Ruben Ballani of Febatex owed the workers months of unpaid salaries, unpaid vacation time and social secu-

rity. The workers also reported that the owner would force his employees to work 12 hour shifts, a practice outlawed nearly 100 years ago. Six months after the workers were fired and the union (Sindicato Textil - AOT) failed to intervene, the work-ers at Textil Quilmes started up production. They claim that the union, who turned their backs on the workers once they were fired, is now negotiating on behalf of the bosses. The occupations in Argentina continue to rise as the global economic crisis hits the South American nation. The Arrufat chocolate factory, Disco de Oro empanada pastry manufacturer, Indugraf printing press, Febatex thread producer and Lidercar meat packing plant joined the ranks of the worker occupied factory movement from 2008 to 2009. Textil Quilmes has fought along with workers from other factories occupied since the onset of the global economic crisis to demand expropriation laws; none have a definitive legal future. Many independent analysts expect the global recession to hit Argentina’s real economy. Unemployment rates have gone up and industry growth has halted, while the financial sector remains unaffected because it already took a major blow in 2001. Those who benefited from Argentina’s economic recovery of course are now those who are using this crisis as an excuse to downsize and lay-off workers with the promise of public bailout pack-ages and government credits. The phenomenon of worker occupations continues to grow as the world falls deeper into the current reces-sion. Nearly 20 new factories in Argentina were occu-pied since 2008. This may be a sign that workers are confronting the current global financial crisis with les-sons and tools from previous worker occupied factories post-2001 economic collapse and popular rebellion. To-day, some 250 worker occupied enterprises are up and running, employing more than 13,000. Many of these sites have been producing under worker self-manage-ment since 2002, providing nearly a decade of lessons, experiments, strategies and mistakes to learn from. Zanon and others from the occupied factory movement have proven that they are capable of doing what bosses aren’t interested in doing: creating jobs and work with dignity. This may be why government representatives, industry leaders and factory owners have remained si-lent and often times reacted with hostility on this issue; they are afraid of these sites multiplying and the exam-ple they have set. At Zanon, workers constantly use the slogan: “Zanon es del pueblo” or Zanon belongs to the people. The work-ers have adopted the objective of producing not only to provide jobs and salaries for more than 470 people, but also to create new jobs, make donations in the commu-nity and to support other social movements. For many at the recuperated enterprises, the occupation of their workplace meant much more than safe-guarding their jobs, it also became part of a struggle for a world with-out exploitation. While the Zanon victory is a step in the right direction, many of the occupations are facing evic-tion orders. FASINPAT can now operate legally and fo-cus their attention to producing ceramics in a faltering economy. The Zanon collective has expressed their con-tinued commitment to defending workers’ rights and self-management, which means defending all worker occupations with slogan: “si nos tocan a uno, nos tocan a todos”: “if they mess with one of us, they mess with all of us.”

By: Marie Trigona

ARGENTINE FACTORY WINS LEGAL BATTLE: Fainspat Zanon Belongs to the People

COMBAT: November, 2009 Page Five

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Unemployment Crisis shows the Failure of Capitalism

The staggering figures on the US labor market demon-strate that what has developed since the Wall Street crash one year ago is not a conjunctural downturn or recession, but an historic assault on working class living standards.

The official unemployment rate for September was 9.8 percent, up from 9.7 percent in August, amid predictions that the jobless rate would pass the 10 percent mark and remain in double digits for at least the next year.

The US Labor Department reported a net loss of 263,000 jobs in September, far more than predicted by govern-ment and business economists. Another 571,000 workers dropped out of the labor market entirely, not looking for work during the month because they saw no prospect of finding a job.

Despite the claims of economic recovery, the combined total of 834,000 workers either losing their jobs or giving up the search for work is comparable to the 700,000-plus job losses recorded in January and February.

September marked the 21st consecutive monthly de-cline in jobs—the longest continuous drop in US employ-ment since the Labor Department began collecting such figures in 1939.

Some 15 million American workers are unemployed, nearly double the number out of work when the recession began at the end of 2007. The average duration of unem-ployment is 26.2 weeks, more than half a year, the highest figure since the Labor Department began such statistics in 1948. One third of the unemployed, more than five mil-lion, have been out of work for 27 weeks or more. This is another Labor Department record.

In addition to those totally without work, another 9.1 million workers are classified as involuntary part-time, working far fewer hours a week than they need to sus-tain their living standards. The combined total of unem-ployed, discouraged and involuntary part-time workers has surpassed 25 million—a number that, in absolute

terms, far exceeds the jobless toll during the Great De-pression of the 1930s.

Virtually every sector of the economy showed job losses in September, including 53,000 in government, mainly due to layoffs by states and cities. Only one sector, health care, showed an increase—and this is the sector being targeted by the Obama administration and Congress for major cost-cutting, which will inevitably take the form of a reduction in jobs. There are now six unemployed workers for every job opening in America. A survey by the Business Roundtable, an association of corporate CEOs, said 40 percent of its member companies intended to cut their payrolls during the next six months, while only 13 percent planned an ex-pansion.

More than one million Americans have filed for bank-ruptcy in the first nine months of 2009, according to the American Bankruptcy Institute. September saw a 41 per-cent increase over the same month in 2008, with 124,790 cases. The institute predicted that a total of 1.4 million people will file for bankruptcy by the end of this year.

The derisory response of the Obama administration and Congress to the jobs disaster is a limited extension of un-employment benefits. By one estimate, 400,000 workers exhausted their unemployment benefits in August and September, and one million will do so by the end of the year.

In his weekly Internet address, President Obama said he was considering “additional options to promote job cre-ation.” The measures outlined by White House spokesmen consisted merely of extended unemployment benefits and tax credits for laid-off workers to buy health coverage un-der the COBRA program. Obama touted his health care restructuring as a boon to business, saying “small busi-ness owners want to grow their companies and hire more people, but they can’t, because they can barely afford to insure the employees they have.”

The White House has rejected calls for a second stimu-lus package, and the same position was voiced by former Federal Reserve Board Chairman Alan Greenspan in an in-terview on the ABC news program “This Week.” Two lead-ing senators, Democrat Charles Schumer of New York and Republican John Cornyn of Texas, speaking on the same program, endorsed Greenspan’s opposition to any new funding for job creation.

Maintaining unemployment at the highest levels since the Great Depression is a deliberate policy of both big business parties and the ruling class as a whole.

While Democratic politicians and union bureaucrats in-variably blame the economic collapse, particularly in manufacturing, on foreign competition and imports, the jobs crisis is of global dimensions. According to the Or-ganization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), which groups the 30 largest industrialized na-tions, the jobless rate for all 30 countries will approach 10 percent in 2010—just about the projected average for the United States. Some 57 million people will be out of work by the end of next year—a number equivalent to the total population of France, Italy or South Korea.

The jobs crisis demonstrates the failure of the capitalist system—not only in the United States, but internation-ally. Not a single capitalist government, in any of the OECD countries, has lifted a finger to create jobs or put the un-employed to work. In each country, the ruling elite is using mass unemployment as a club against the working class, to enforce demands for the destruction of wages, benefits and working conditions.

The working class must fight these demands by putting forward its own program for the defense of jobs, which starts with the needs of the masses, not the profit require-ments of big business. Workers must take direct action against layoffs, short-time working and the shutdown of factories and offices, by occupying their workplaces, pre-venting their closure and appealing for the widest pos-sible support from all working people.

This must be combined with the demand for a multi-tril-lion-dollar program of public works—instead of limitless handouts to the banks—to provide good-paying jobs and rebuild the social infrastructure, including homes, hospi-tals and schools. The demand must be raised for imme-diate measures of relief, including full pay for all laid-off workers, at their previous salaries, and a ban on foreclo-sures, evictions, utility shutoffs and other measures by which the burden of the capitalist crisis is imposed on working people.

These demands must be placed within the framework of the political struggle for the socialist reconstruction of society. Make the capitalists pay for the crisis, not the workers! Revoke all bailouts to Wall Street! Place the gi-ant corporations and banks under public ownership and democratic control, with no salary higher than that paid to a skilled worker! Reorganize economic life to serve the needs of the working people, not corporate profits! Estab-lish a 30 hour work week at 40 hours pay to guarantee a decent-paying job to every person who wants one!

The axis of this struggle is a break with the two big busi-ness parties and the building of an independent mass party of the working class, based on a socialist and inter-nationalist program.

By Patrick Martin

As US jobless toll tops 15 million

COMBAT: November, 2009 Page Six

EXAMINATION AND EXPOSUREGuysuco’s Mismanagement

East Demerara Estates

A ministerial appointed Commission of Enquiry, in 2008, comprising Cde Vic Oditt (Chairman), Cdes Aslim Singh and Abrahim Nagamootoo (GAWU Represen-tatives), Cdes Nandalall Harriprashad and Rollingston Robinson (Guysuco Represen-tatives) in its Report on the performance of East Demerara Estates, found that cane fields, just a stone’s throw away from Guy-suco’s Head Office, where the CEO and other senior functionaries are located, had had sparse cane growth, significant weed infestation and poor drainage. Note below some of the revelations made by the Commission of Enquiry:-

Chairman’s StatementPage One (1) “As Chairman of this Enquiry, I worked with a team of representatives from the management of the Estate and the main Union. As such the report has been final-ized with a content that was generally acceptable to team members. I feel com-pelled, however, to make a statement that reflects my personal observations and conclusions in relation to this exercise:-

1. The review of Board documents, a key Term of Reference, was not completed, since these were not supplied despite the efforts of the Permanent Secre-tary, Ministry of Agriculture (a Board Member), and undertakings given by the Chief Executive. As such, it was dif-ficult to conclude in many instances where the ultimate responsibility lies.

2. There is a complete disconnect be-tween management and workers. Re-sponsibility for the decline of this es-tate rests entirely with management, whose members have lost their way over the last five (5) years. Leadership seems non-existent, morale is low and the culture is to find other persons/departments to blame. Accountability cannot be over emphasized. Prepa-ration of reports, many of which are useless to GUYSUCO, should not take precedence over adequately managed and supervised field operations

3. The adage “SUGAR IS PRODUCED IN THE FIELD, THE FACTORY ONLY RE-COVERS IT” is as true as ever. The man-tra of the industry must be “BACK TO BASICS”. Sugar cane has been grown in Guyana for 350 years and the field operations are well known and under-stood. Execution is the problem.

4. Accordingly, urgent and decisive ac-tion needs to be taken to save EDE and GUYSUCO as an entity, since the Cor-poration has degenerated to produc-tion levels not attained for the past 16 years.”

Re: Enmore EstateLand Preparation Page Nine (9) “The Enquiry Team observed that in many areas good land preparation was carried out while in a few it was poorly done ow-ing to the high water level and land topog-raphy. In general efforts can be considered as good.”

Application of LGRP Page Nine (9) “It was found that while the LGRP applica-tion was done in a timely manner, the cali-bration (amount per hectare) was a cause for concern as a front end loader bucket was used to measure the quantity of LGRP that would be loaded into the hopper. This method of measurement and weighing (the only method available to the estate) will lend itself to an inconsistent applica-tion as such the desired results will not be achieved. The location has been address-ing the issue by soil testing and applying supplemental DAP to the drain shoulders.”

Application of Filter MudPage Nine (9) “This material ought to be utilized on the drain shoulders from where the top soil was removed during land preparation to correct and enhance the soil structure. The estate claimed to have been utilizing Filter Mud in the fields, yet according to the Man-agement Accounts for the year ended Sep-tember 30, 2008 no filter mud had been applied. Further it was observed that sev-eral heaps of Filter Mud were stockpiled in front the factory and by the mill dock. Driving around Enmore it was observed that several piles were sold to gardeners and on November 06, 2008 a number of truck loads were seen leaving the estate. The estate should not be selling Filter Mud when its agronomic benefits are well known.”

PlantingPage Ten (10) “Management claimed that inclement weather had prevented the achievement of their replanting programme and contrib-uted to the state of the estate. When the Team reviewed the statistics it revealed a completely different picture:-

Year Replanting % Achieved

2001 909.3 ha 19.3%2002 968.0 ha 20.6%2003 1038.3 ha 22.1%2004 1068.4 ha 22.7%2005 988.6 ha 21.0%2006 999.1 ha 21.3%2007 843.5 ha 18.0%Average 20.7%

The Team considers the replanting per-centages achieved to be acceptable given that an average of 20% of the cultivation is required to be replanted annually.”

Bell LoadersPage Ten (10)

“This Enquiry Team observed that the estate was misusing the Bell Loaders. The stacking of canes for the loaders were very poor, and the machines had to “push-pile” then grab whereas these loaders were de-signed to grab and not “to push-pile”. Further, the machines were observed to be traversing long distances in order to heap canes due to the unavailability of punts since fifty-nine (59) punts had to be returned to Skeldon. These machines were designed for short runs up to seventy five (75) meters.”

Tillage Tractor UsagePages Eleven (11) & Twelve (12) “The utilization of tractors was well be-low acceptable levels, since a tractor on av-erage achieved 0.8 hectare per day, despite the estate performing twenty four (24) hour tillage operations. This is of great importance when one takes into account the decline in the quantum of opportunity days in recent years. The rate for operators (just about $2,000 per day) compares very unfavourably with rates paid outside the sugar industry which are said to be $3,000 to $4,000 per day. It is hardly surprising that GUYSUCO has problems recruiting operators. The estate claimed that its tractor fleet was old and suffered constant breakdowns further reducing their utilization. It was later learnt that while there were some tractors for which parts are difficult to source, for the great majority, spares are readily available or could be sourced very quickly. The estate was found to be simply placing orders for spares with little follow up action. As such, the Estate did not seem to exhibit any haste in having the machines operable. In addition the estate’s claim that spares ordered to carry out remedial work dur-ing the first out of crop period were not delivered until the commencement of the second crop of 2008, was found to be falla-cious. On checking the records, it was not-ed that sixty-nine (69) items were issued to the estate on June 13, 2008. These were packed and uplifted from MMD by Mr Sou-venir (Workshop Manager) the same day with one (1) additional item being sup-plied on June 26, 2008.”

Cane TransportPage Twelve (12) “This appears not to be a problem but the estate had complained that six (6) of the nine (9) cane transport tractors have poor

tyres, claiming that no tyres were supplied for 2008. As a result the estate said when it rains the tractors are unable to cross high bridges and larger machines are required to assist. Arising out of interviews it was found that the estate was not honest when it came to the provision of tyres. According to docu-ments received from MMD that as at No-vember 07, 2008 the estate had in stock six (6) tyres for these tractors which were found in the aisle north of the main Stores Building and a total of twenty-four (24) tyres were issued for this year.

In addition the Management Accounts for the year up to September 30, 2008 revealed that the location has expended $1.2M from its operating budget for cane transport tractor tyres.”

WeedsPages Twelve (12) & Thirteen (13) “Weeds were found to have significantly affected cane growth and yield declines. It was evident that there was a significant proliferation of weeds when looking at the state of fields currently being harvested.

The Estate attributed to the proliferation of weeds to the increased rainfall over the growing period and the lack of the timely availability of the appropriate chemicals. Some members of the Enquiry Team were of the opinion that despite significant weekly rainfall the estate continued to ap-ply herbicides. These members felt that the herbicides will be ineffective and will result in weed growth as evident in the cultivation where much weeds were found to be growing in drains.

It was explained that in December, 2007 Enmore harvesters went to Blairmont to cut canes and very little to no weeding was done. However, upon their return to En-more in January 2008, they were sent to do planting despite the estate was behind with their weed control. It was reported that workers who refused planting were turned away. The estate also claimed that its chemical weed control programme was stymied owing to lack of herbicides. MMD records, however, indicated that the estate was in fact oversupplied with many herbi-cides during 2008.”

Ratoon ManagementPages Fifteen (15) & Sixteen (16) “This was found to be extremely poor in the recent past, but much corrective work has been recently undertaken. While there is improvement much more work needs to be done to bring this situation under con-trol.”

Continued in next edition

COMBAT: November, 2009 Page Seven

FACTS REGARDING THE OPERATIONS OF GUYSUCO

Claims, Truths - and FactsGuysuco’s Contention GAWU - the Facts

That the Union used data to distort the grim realities which confront the sugar industry

The data used by the Union was extracted from the Corporation’s 2008 Annual Report.

That the Union presented Guy-suco’s position with respect to the withdrawal of its three (3) per cent offer out of context

GAWU reiterates the withdrawal of the 3% offer is an act of prov-ocation. Prior to Arbitration in 2008, and 2002, the Corpora-tion’s offer was 5.25% and 4.5%, respectively and both were never withdrawn

That the Corporation’s net revenue position provides a better picture of what was earned by the Corpo-ration

Guysuco’s published letter of Oc-tober 30, 2009 confirmed higher net revenue indicating G$28.9B in 2008 and G$28.2B in 2004 de-spite production being 100,000 tonnes lower than 2004 and freight costs being 38% higher in 2008. Guysuco’s 2009 budget in-dicates a hefty decline in freight charges by approximately 51% from G$3.7B to G$2B although there will be a higher level of sugar exports.

That a major contributor to the loss experienced last year was the significant increases in the prices of fuel and fertilizers

The Corporation expended G$9.5B on materials and services last year inclusive of fuel and fer-tilizers. This year the Corpora-tion projects to spend G$7.7B

That a substantial portion of em-ployment costs vary with the level of activities such as cane produc-tion, sugar production, land prepa-ration and planting.

The explanation that employ-ment costs vary with cane pro-duction, sugar production, land preparation and planting up-holds the Union’s submission regarding the sum of a 1% wage increase.

That Diamond is increasingly be-ing affected by urban expansion and LBI/Diamond Estate is the most uneconomical of the Guysuco Estates, in part due to the distance of the Diamond cultivation from the LBI factory

The rate of return from the Dia-mond cultivation notwithstand-ing the transportation cost, is far superior than what it would be with respect to the proposed marginal lands. Let’s have the projected yields, etc from Guy-suco’s study with respect to the marginal lands to be rehabilitat-ed.

That the Corporation is expending extensive resources to rehabilitate and retool the Demerara estates noting that Guysuco is investing US$12M to realize “Project Gold” at Enmore

The US$12M for the Enmore Packaging Plant is provided by the EU through the Guyana Na-tional Action Plan. The extensive rehabilitation has become neces-sary because of neglect and pur-poseful, negative actions in the past years which were aimed at downgrading the performance of some of the Demerara Estates.

EVEN THE MEDIA?TO KAIETEUR NEWS

October 30, 2009

The EditorKaieteur NewsSaffon StreetGeorgetown

Dear Editor,

We of the Guyana Agricultural and Gen-eral Workers Union (GAWU) hesitate to accuse your well-read newspaper and its editorial policy of any bias, discrimina-tion or one-sidedness.

GAWU, therefore, regards your omis-sion in carrying our comprehensive brief, as a letter, “GAWU presses for investment in sugar workers,” which was forwarded to you, as an irregular but serious lapse. We are also very cautious to accuse your medium of any partiality in the current impasse between the Union and Guysuco. However, since the Government’s spokes-persons and government friendly letter writers are weighing in on the issue, we urge that you resume your principled even-handedness and balanced report-ing, in the interest of both journalistic fair-play and the principle of both parties in a dispute being treated equitably.

Yours faithfully,Seepaul NarineGeneral Secretary

TO NATIONAL COMMUNICATIONS NET-WORK (NCN)

November 06, 2009

Cde Mohammed SattaurChief Executive OfficerNational Communication Network Homestretch Avenue,Georgetown

Dear Comrade,

RE: Disappointment and Suspicions over non-broadcast of GAWU/NCN Television Production

The Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) wishes to re-cord its profound disappointment with your Network for not seeing the airing of a CLOSE-UP television broadcast which was recorded in your studios on Tuesday afternoon (November 03, 2009).

This non-appearance of the programme has caused the Union and those members who knew of the recording, and were looking forward to the broadcast, to spec-ulate over and to be seriously suspicious over the reasons for the non-appearance.

The following is the background, implica-tions for and alternative decisions with respect to the issue.

The NCN television Executive Producer, Martin Goolsarran had agreed to arrange the production of the programme on Sun-day November 01, 2009. However, this arrangement was suddenly changed to Tuesday November 03, 2009 date. GAWU, represented by three of its senior mem-bers, wished to present the unions and sugar workers’ position and perspectives on the burning national issues affect-ing the management of the sugar sector, the then industrial action over wage and target-setting issues and other topical re-lated problems. You will appreciate that these issues, impact, most significantly, on the nation’s economic status and future – and that GUYSUCO has its own full-length time on the same NCN TV programme to present its position on the issues.

Fair and balanced report, the right of re-ply, all constitute fundamental principles of journalism to which we are sure, or now, we hope, you subscribe.

Since the taping of the Martin Goolsar-ran – produced programme featuring the GAWU representatives on Tuesday November 03, 2009 it has not seen the light of day or night. Responses from your network to our concerned enquiries included “no time or appropriate space” and “lots of other paid programmes to be aired.” Must we believe these “reasons” coming from professional NCN represen-tatives? We think not. Hence, this corre-spondence to you, since we suspect that the well-meaning Goolsarran would not make a decision NOT to air, on his own.

GAWU has always been reluctant to ac-cuse your Network of discrimination or favoritism based on political consider-ations, as various Opposition detractors routinely do.

However, in light of your Network’s in-ability or refusal to air our views on these vital issues, and since we are quite hurt and disappointed over this sensitive is-sues we have sought recourse to a private television service. Denied our rights to be heard on the State-friendly, People’s Television Station, the entire Martin Goolsaraan produced feature will now be aired elsewhere over this coming week-end.

We, nevertheless, look forward to an ex-planation for this travesty.

Yours faithfully,Seepaul NarineGeneral Secretary

We Hope Not

COMBAT is a publication of the Guyana Agricultural & General Workers Union (GAWU)59 High Street & Wight’s Lane, Kingston, Georgetown, Guyana, S.A.

Tel: 592-227-2091/2; 225-5321 Fax: 592-227-2093Email: gawu@bbgy.com Website: www.gawu.net

SOLIDARITY AND SUPPORT

From Fraternal Unions Abroad Following the breakdown between the Guyana Agricultural and General Work-ers Union (GAWU) and the Guyana Sugar Corporation (Guysuco) on October 29, 2009 which saw the withdrawal of Guy-suco’s three (3) persent offer and later the imposition of compulsory arbitration by the Minister of Labour Manzoor Nadir, a number of fraternal unions abroad, sent messages to Minister Nadir protesting the the Corporation’s high handedness and the premature action in imposing arbitration. Combat now publishes some of these mes-sages:-From the Grenada Technical and Allied Workers Union (GTAWU) - Grenada The International Union of Foods (IUF) has informed the Grenada Technical and Allied Workers’ Union (GTAWU) that our sister Union, the Guyana Agricultural and Workers’ Union (GAWU) has been facing provocative actions from the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) with regards to negotiations for a Collective Labour Agree-ment (CLA). This provocation has taken, in the main, the form of the GuySuCo with-drawal of its offer of 3% increase on sala-ries. GTAWU has also learnt that you have in-tervened and imposed compulsory arbi-tration on GAWU. This move on your part begs the questions as to whether or not your Ministry and Government by exten-sion may be pandering to or intimidated by the provocation of GuySuCo! GTAWU calls upon your good-self to re-move the compulsory arbitration declara-tion and ensure that free and respectful ne-gotiations between the two parties resume with a view to amicably reaching a settle-ment. In this connection, it is very important that GuySuCo’s proposals of 3% increase on salaries be re-instated to form the ba-sis for the continuation of the negotiations. You would no doubt understand GAWU’s frustration over GuySuCo’s withdrawal of its earlier offer of the 3% increase on sala-ries. The Company’s move must be seen for what it is – a clear attempt at provocation designed to frustrate the negotiation pro-cess. GTAWU calls upon you to help preserve the rich legacy that your Country Guyana has developed in the fight for the defence and advancement of the rights of working people. Your Country Guyana has given to us in the Caribbean region many notable sons and daughters and it is incumbent upon you not to tarnish their contribu-tions. This is a time for you to stand and be counted – ensure that the negotiations re-sume with the reinstatement of GuySuCo’s offer and the respect for the Collective La-

bour Agreement procedures!Yours Sincerly M. Andre’ Lewis2nd Vice President

From the International Union of Food, Agricultural, Hotel, Restaurant, Cater-ing, Tobacco and Allied Workers’ Asso-ciations (IUF) - Switzerland IUF is the global trade union federation representing workers throughout the foodchain. We have 383 affiliated trade unions in 120 countries including Guyana. We are concerned by reports we have received from our affiliated union, the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) about the current difficul-ties in the pay negotiations. We express our solidarity with the 18,000 Guyanese sugar workers, represented byGAWU, for a just and reasonable wage in-crease. We call upon on the Guyana Sugar Corpo-ration Inc (Guysuco) to reinstate its three(3) per cent wage offer which was arbi-trarily withdrawn when the negotiationsstalemated at the conciliatory level to end the strike across the sugar industry. At the same time the Minister of Labour must allow the process for abitration con-templated within the Collective Labour Agreement rather than imposing one.Yours sincerelyRon OswaldGeneral Secretary

From GMB (London Region) - United Kingdom We wish to express our solidarity with the 18,000 Guyanese Sugar Workers rep-resented by the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) for a just and reasonable wage increase. We call upon the Guyana Sugar Corpo-ration (Guysuco) to reinstate its three (3) per cent wage offer which was arbitrarily withdrawn when the negotiations stale-mated at the conciliatory level to end the strike across the sugar industry. At the same time the Minister of Labour must allow the process for Arbitration contemplated within the Collective Labour Agreement rather than imposing one.Sincerely Paul Haynes Regional Secretary

Messages were also received from KOM-MUNAL - Sweden, Canadian Auto Work-ers - Canada, National Union of Plantation and Agricultural Workers of Uganda (NU-PAWU) - Uganda, Belize Workers Union (BWU) - Belize, among others.

WAGES DISPUTE AT ARBITRATION

Continued from front page

refer the dispute to Arbitration its three (3) per cent offer would be withdrawn.

That astounded the Union’s fifty four (54) member delegation including union of-ficials to hear Guysuco’s decision. Indeed, the withdrawal of the three (3) per cent was deemed an act of provocation which incensed the workers.

Soon after the announcement, workers at the Rose Hall factory took strike action. The field workers of that Estate and their counterparts on the other seven (7) es-tates across the industry followed suit the next day – 30th October, 2009. The indus-try wide strike continued until 5th Novem-ber, 2009.

The Corporation confirmed its request for Arbitration by letter dated 29th Octo-ber, 2009. The Union responded on 30th October, 2009 seeking a meeting with the Corporation. Separately, the Minister of Labour Manzoor Nadir, also by latter dat-ed 29th October 2009 informed the Union and the Corporation that he has decided to refer the dispute to Arbitration in accor-dance with Section 4(1)(c) of the Labour Act Chapter 98:01 of the Laws of Guyana.

Thus, Guysuco thereafter, decided not to subject itself to Arbitration under the sub-sistting Recognition Agreement, but under the Act instead. On 5th November, 2009 the Minister of Labour appointed the Tribunal with Dr Gobind Ganga as Chairman along with Yog Mahadeo and Sonya Roopnauth as mem-bers who were nominated by the Union and the Corporation, respectively. Cde Clive Nurse, Deputy Chief Labour Officer was appointed the secretary to the Tribu-nal.

On 11th November, 2009, the Union and the Corporation presented their separate written submissions to members of the Tribunal following which, the first sitting of the Tribunal was held on 14th Novem-ber, 2009. At that sitting the Union’s Advo-cate, Dr Roodal Moonilal provided an oral presentation highlighting the main aspects of the Union’s Memorandum. The Corpora-tion did likewise.

Dr Moonilal emphasized that the current state of the Corporation, referring to the extremely poor production, was as a result of poor management of the Corporation over the last few years. He referred to the reports of the Uitvlugt Estate Review Com-mittee and the Commission of Enquiry of

East Demerara Estates in the years 2007 and 2008, respectively. The reports point-ed to gross mismanagement of the Estates. In the case of Uitvlugt, the report pointed out that the then Chief Executive Officer of the Corporation ordered the Estate’s then General Manager to prepare a paper on the closure for that Estate, contrary to the mandate of the Board of Directors.

Dr Moonilal acknowledged that the in-dustry, like on previous occasions, faced difficulties and that the workers and their union played its role to promote produc-tion and industrial peace. He pointed out that the parties had failed to resolve the wage dispute because the Corporation might not have acted in good faith as it trig-gered industrial action, no doubt to reach the stage of compulsory arbitration.

Dr Moonilal called on Guysuco to come with “clean hands,” that the Union would rely on report available to account for the failure of management which is respon-sible for the current state in which the in-dustry found itself. He also referred to Guy-suco’s Memorandum and pointed out that the future of the Corporation was with the stakeholders and not the members of the Tribunal, as the Corporation posited.

In reference to the Union’s Memorandum, the Corporation’s Advocate, Cde Nikhil Ramkarran, suggested that the Union could request the Government of Guyana to provide support to the industry arising from disbursements from the European Union to the Guyana National Action Plan if the Union wanted.

He also acknowledged the important role of the workers in the industry and noted that without the workers there would be no industry. However, he explained that the Corporation does not have the money to satisfy the Union’s demand and with the new estimated production, it could not even afford the three (3) per cent it offered initially. Guysuco claimed that it required the support of the workers in this testing period and once the turnaround of the industry was complete, the Corporation would be in a position to provide adequate increases to its workforce. The second sitting of the Tribunal will take place on November 24, 2009 at which time, the Corporation is expected to ex-pand on its presentation and the Union will continue to advance its case.

The Tribunal has been mandated to make its award on or before December 12, 2009.