M&CC owes GLU millions - Duncan

M&CC owes GLU millions – Duncan

Oct 02, 2008 News

– matter engaging the court

General Secretary of the Guyana Labour Union, Carvil Duncan, has revealed that the Mayor and City Council is indebted to his union to the tune of approximately $5 M.
Duncan’s disclosure came during an interview with this newspaper where he divulged that the GLU, which represents more than 60 per cent of the municipal workers, is being short-changed by the operations of another union, the Guyana Local Government Officers Union (GLGOU).
And, according to Duncan, as far as he is aware the GLGOU is designated to represent only officers employed at the municipality.
He explained that it is the claim of the GLGOU that it represents more than just officers but noted that in reality the union cannot make such an acclamation.
Duncan further said that based on the observation of Justice Prem Persaud who made an arbitration decision in this regard, almost three quarters of the individuals listed as members of the GLGOU are in fact not officers.
For this reason he said that it was advised that the workers who are not officers ought not to remain on the list.
The General Secretary pointed out that it was the view of Justice Persaud that based on the Associated Act, the union only has responsibility to represent officers and therefore clerical and other levels of workers should not be included.
But according to Duncan, Justice Persaud’s report on the matter was not heeded by the then Town Clerk Ms Beulah Williams, who he said was a member of the union.
“She did not accept the report and the matter is now engaging the attention of the court…and when the court makes a ruling on the matter the local government officers will disappear…,” a confident Duncan exclaimed.
Duncan disclosed that the GLGOU was registered as the union to represent the officers, at which point it was granted recognition as the officers’ union.
“If they changed their name thereafter it does not change their recognition and that is what the arbitrator (Justice Persaud) was saying….”
According to Duncan, the GLGOU is mandated to represent the officers of the council who number less than 25 persons, while the GLU represents from the clerical workers right down to the grave diggers employed by the municipality.
And since the GLGOU is operating in contravention of its mandate by representing other levels of staffers, Duncan related that a disturbing situation has been created whereby the union dues which should rightfully be paid to the GLU is handed over to the GLGOU by the M&CC.
But according to President of the GLGOU, Mr Andrew Garnett, his union rightfully represents about 40 per cent of the municipal workers, including professional, clerical, supervisory and technical staffers.
Deputy Mayor Robert Williams in an invited comment on the matter related that he is aware that there is a contention whereby the GLU believes that the GLGOU has taken over some of its members.
He, however, noted that he could not speak at will on the matter since it is currently engaging the attention of the court.

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M&CC owes GLU millions – Duncan

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