Demerara Timbers workers down tools over wages

Demerara Timbers workers down tools over wages Saturday, October 6th 2007 Stabroek News http://www.stabroeknews.com/index.pl/article?id=56530392

Some 150 employees of the Demerara Timbers Limited (DTL) location in Mabura downed tools yesterday over wages, bringing operations in the area almost to a standstill, sources told Stabroek News. According to reports reaching this newspaper the workers with the full support of their union, the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU), decided to stop working yesterday until the company listens to them through their union. Stabroek News attempted to get a comment from the company but K.S. Chung, the only person who reportedly could speak on the issue, was said to be out of the office. Reports indicate that the union wrote the company on Tuesday and sought an immediate response but up to yesterday the company had not responded. In the letter, which was seen by this newspaper, the union indicated that the company had failed to implement the 5.5% wage/salary increase for 2006. The letter pointed out also that to date workers are yet to receive their retroactive payment of the 5.5% for the period January to August 3 this year and retroactive payment for overtime done in 2006. Stabroek News understands that at the end of last year the union and the company had agreed to pay the workers a 5.5% increase for last year and this year. The new increase was not implemented until August 3 this year and while the company paid the workers the retroactive amount for last year it failed to do so for the months of this year so the workers worked for the same salary. And while that issue is outstanding, the company has also failed to indicate when it would meet with the union to discuss salary increases for next year and the situation is very frustrating for the workers, this newspaper understands. "The workers at your Mabura location are becoming restive while your company continues to ignore the union's representation to have the agreement reached between the parties fully implemented," the letter stated. The union requested that the workers be paid forthwith all of their outstanding payments and that the company meets with them to address the union's claim for 2007. It is not clear how long the workers will be on strike or whether the union and the company were in discussion last evening.