[www.inwsguyana.com] – The Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) employee who was dismissed in September 2014 has been reinstated, effective December 21, 2015, the Guyana Agricultural Workers Union (GAWU) has confirmed.
Daniel Stephen was employed as a tractor operator in the Cane Transport Department at Skeldon Estate. GAWU in a statement revealed that Stephen will be compensated for his lost wages with approximately seven months’ pay of the fourteen month period he was off the job.
According to GAWU, Stephen’s dismissal by the Estate Manager, Devendra Kumar evoked the wrath of his fellow factory and field workers who resorted to strike action spontaneously and solidly for a few days.
Workers from Albion and Rose Hall Estates on two (2) separate days struck in a show of solidarity with Stephen. The strike ended before the strike turn of Blairmont, East Demerara, Wales and Uitvlugt Estates.
The Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) and the Corporation under the aegis of the then Ministry of Labour, now the Ministry of Social Protection, approved a Terms of Resumption Agreement which stipulated, among other things, the recall of Stephen’s dismissal letter and in its place, a letter of suspension.
According to GAWU, the dispute itself was next subjected to conciliatory proceedings which concluded on the strong advice that Stephen be reinstated in his job.
“GuySuCo disagreed with the Chief Labour Officer and, therefore, refused to re-instate the aggrieved worker.”
Why was he dismissed?