What are the TUC’s plans for addressing the problems confronting workers?

May 12, 2008 Letters

Dear Editor,

Samantha Ali’s “Ms. Gillian Burton is a true trade unionist” letter (Kaieteur News, 6/5/2008) sought to link my letter “What are the new TUC President’s plans to deal with the many problems confronting the workers?” to that of Coretta McDonald’s Labour Day speech.

Though I am honoured by Ali’s attempt, I cannot take credit for it. Many are angry and disappointed over the state of affairs in this country.

The anger is evident in the protests led by Mr. Corbin and Mr. Sharma around Georgetown; Mr. Sharma’s Voice of the People programmes; the January protests of Lusignan residents; the perplexed looks on Barticians’ faces; the sense of hopelessness on the faces of the Buxtonian farmers, and the recent strike by Berbice sugar workers.

Skyrocketing cost-of-living, scarcity of food, imposed wages and high unemployment are adding to the anger, which will soon reach boiling point if nothing is done to stem it.

People are forced to skip a meal, or cut back on other basic necessities in order to have a meal. Children’s lunch kits are either packed with non-nutritious meals or a bottle of drink/water.

Leaders — be they political, labour, business or Government — continue to disappoint. Many are of the view that leaders are not committed to their constituents and only find them useful during election seasons.
Ms. McDonald’s speech addressing some of the deficiency in labour management and workers’ relations served as a glimmer of hope that someone within the leadership may be paying attention to the anger on the ground. Given this observation, one cannot fathom the continued refusal by Ms. Burton, TUC President, to identify with the workers’ anger and share her plans to stop the decline.

In January, SN and I sent copies of my letter to Ms. Burton asking her about her plans to fix the problems. To date, she has not responded.

The refusal of President Burton to respond to the concern of a worker is unacceptable, and reinforces workers’ contention that leaders are not committed to representing us.

It is hoped Samantha Ali’s re-emergence would see her answering the undermentioned questions posed to her in January 2008 in Kaieteur News and SN:

Is Samantha Ali authorised to speak on Ms. Burton’s behalf?
Is Samantha Ali using my legitimate question to Ms. Burton to further divide and weaken the trade union?
Does Samantha Ali have a grudge with males in the union leadership, and is capitalizing on the opportunity to settle scores?
Additionally, Ms. Burton needs to break her silence. Workers want to know if she identifies with us, and what are her plans to address the problems confronting us.

Martin Roberts

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