GEORGETOWN, Guyana (CMC) — Sugar workers Monday went on strike accusing management of refusing to hold negotiations for increased wages until the findings of a Commission of Inquiry (COI) into the ailing Guyana Sugar Corporation (GUYSUCO) are released.

President of the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU), Komal Chand told the Guyana-based on line publication, Demerara Waves Online News, that it was not even an interest in a specific percentage wage increase that sparked off the three-day strike.

“That doesn’t arise now because what we ask for is an engagement for collective bargaining. We haven’t reached that point yet,” he said.

But GUYSUCO Director Paul Bhim said that the corporation would not begin wage negotiations until the COI Report is made public.

“We are not refusing. We have asked them to hang on until the COI report is made public and then we will start negotiations,” he said, adding that this was the best way because of the problems confronting the sugar industry.

Meanwhile, GUYSUCO said it had produced 10,254 tonnes of sugar for the week ending October 16, surpassing the 10,000-tonne mark for the third time this crop.

It said Skeldon, Albion, Blairmont, East Demerara and Uitvlugt estates have all surpassed their weekly targets while Rose Hall Estate achieved 97 per cent.

GUYSUCO said that to date it has paid approximately GUY$531.4 million (One Guyana dollar = US$0.008 cents) to employees on the seven estates for their achievement of 47 weekly production incentives.