Dear Editor,
The National Association of Agricultural, Commercial and Industrial Employees (NAACIE) was very disturbed after reading what can only be described as a mischievous and obviously misleading article titled “Sugar workers call for Komal Chand to resign” which appeared in the Guyana Times newspaper of January 23, 2018.
Our Union, which also attended the January 19, 2018 meeting with the Government, finds it necessary to clear the air and set the record straight and point out that both NAACIE and the Guyana Agricultural Workers Union (GAWU) did not agree with the Government to pay the workers their severance payments in installments. Both Unions insisted that the workers ought to receive their payments at once in keeping with the Termination of Employment and Severance Pay Act. For the two Unions, this is sacrosanct and, therefore, it is disappointing that some persons have decided to engage in such mischief-making. We cannot help but wonder what are their real motivations.
Our Union and GAWU have shared fraternal relations which go back decades and, in recent times, have stood together to denounce and condemn the plans by the Guyana Sugar Corporation and the Government to reduce the footprint of the sugar industry. We, like GAWU, have argued that the decision is wrong and poorly thought out and will bring more bad than good. We have endorsed GAWU’s plans advanced at the February 17, 2017 meeting with Government officials recognising the several positive suggestions to retain and safeguard the sugar industry.
Similarly, we were equally impressed by GAWU’s presentation which was ably presented by the Union’s President, Mr Komal Chand at the January 19, 2018 meeting. That presentation, we noted, advanced several critical considerations to protect and safeguard the well-being of the workers who have been affected by the callous sugar plans. That presentation as well was also endorsed by our Union.
The NAACIE must share too that it recognised the importance of meeting and engaging with the Government, as the owner of the sugar industry.
We took into account that engagements with employers are part of any Union’s normal activities and critical to representing effectively workers concerns and demands. Had we chosen not to meet with the Government then, in effect, we would have given up another arena for struggling on behalf of our members interests at this difficult time for them and their families.
Bearing such important considerations in mind, engagement with the Government will be done in good faith and with the workers interest and future as our motivation.
NAACIE reiterates that it will continue to work in the best interest of its members. We acknowledge and recognise the importance in these times of working with our sister Union in the sugar industry. We recognise too that various efforts will be afoot, coming from different quarters, to weaken and undermine our unity and militancy. Our unions have a sound understanding of our members’ views with respect to their welfare matters and with our constant meetings with them we believe that they are fully supportive of the leadership given by union officers, including Mr Komal Chand. The public attack on him is unwarranted, unfair and can be seen as divisive with the intention of weaken the workers cause. We are happy with the astuteness, courage and sacrifice in his representation of workers’ cause. It is no wonder that Mr Chand is seen as one of the country’s foremost labour leaders. Vigilance is our watch word as we continue our struggle for the workers’ rights and benefits.

Respectfully,
General Secretary
NAACIE

Editor’s note: The large number of workers who contacted Guyana Times has claimed that severance pay is stipulated by the Termination of Employment and Severance Pay Act (TESPA) and there was no point for negotiations on that matter by GAWU and NAACIE.
Secondly, the workers outlined that what GAWU and NAACIE should have been negotiating for is the non-closure of the sugar estates.