-call for removal of estate manager

Almost 1,000 cane harvesters attached to GuySuCo’s Rose Hall estate are on strike for the removal of the estate manager over what they say is his refusal to meet with them on the institution of daily quotas.

All of the harvesting gangs, which account for a total of 979 workers, are refusing to work until the matter is settled and several of them staged a protest outside of the factory's compound, located at Rose Hall, East Canje, to press for his removal yesterday.

Stabroek News attempted to meet with the estate manager but was told that he was not in office. Calls to the manager also went unanswered.

According to the frustrated workers, a number of beds of cane is normally allotted every morning and they are usually paid for however much they complete at the end of the day. However, they said that they were informed by the manager that they will only be paid if they complete cutting all the beds stipulated for them each day. “Normally, right, if them give we five bed and we cut three, that is what we getting paid for. Now them saying that we got to cut all out before we get pay, that is rubbish,” said one of the harvesters, who has been attached to GuySuCo since 1973.

“The estate manager refuse to resolve the matter; he said he will not be seeing the reps or the supervisor until we call off the strike,” Sohanauth Rabindranauth, 59, said.

One gang representative, Errol Munroe, said the harvesters are not accepting the new system and will continue to strike. “He is saying he is not going to entertain us until the strike call off but