Latest update February 23rd, 2025 1:40 PM

Guyana's largest selling daily and New York's most popular weekly

Latest News

Republic Bank employees and the truth

Oct 24, 2009 Features / Columnists, Freddie Kissoon

On reading page nine of this newspaper of Thursday, October 2, I immediately called Mark Benschop, asked him to contact the General Secretary of the TUC, Norris Witter, prepare some pamphlets and let us share them out to all the Demerara branches of Republic Bank.
The paper quotes the General Secretary of the union, NAACIE, Kenneth Joseph, as saying that NAACIE is conducting a nation-wide exercise at all Republic Bank branches with a view to seeking the Bank’s employees to join NAACIE.
I told Mark Benschop that we should go into action immediately to sensitise the Bank employees to the politics of NAACIE and for them to kill any intention they have of joining NAACIE.
I then telephoned Mrs. Michelle Johnson, Marketing Manager of Republic Bank to ask why NAACIE was facilitated by the Bank and no other unions. I explained that I am a trade unionist being the Vice-Chairman of one of Guyana’s most active trade unions and would like to address the employees of Republic Bank.
Mrs. Johnson suggested that I write to the Bank which I plan to do. Then came the shocker from the mouth of Mrs. Johnson. She explained that the Bank has not facilitated any session with NAACIE for its workers.
Let us quote Mr. Joseph; “This is a countrywide exercise being conducted at all Republic Bank branches.” Mrs. Johnson was unambiguous in her interview with me – “The Bank knows nothing about this.”
Who is telling the truth? Is NAACIE meeting with Republic Bank employees to discuss unionisation with them at their place of employment as stated by Mr. Joseph? Mrs. Johnson is saying there is no such facilitation. We don’t know where the truth lies but every citizen has a right to express an opinion as to which side of a story he/she believes. You don’t have to make an accusation to express a belief.
For example; I don’t believe Dr. Ramsammy’s denial that he was not involved with Roger Khan. I haven’t made any defamatory statement on Dr. Ramsammy. It is my right to say if I believe Mr. Vaughn or Dr. Ramsammy. I believe Vaughn.
Is Ms. Varshnie Singh telling the truth when she made certain allegations against President Jagdeo? You have to believe one or the other. I believe Ms. Singh. Without offering an opinion on what Mr. Joseph told the Kaieteur News, I am inclined to accept Mrs. Johnson’s word. Let us leave the search for the truth there and look at trade unionism briefly with a view to offering Republic Bank employees an analysis as to how they should go about adopting a union to represent them.
Trade unions have always been politically affiliated. NAACIE in 2009 is no exception. One can argue that if NAACIE has political loyalties so are the other unions. Some say that the TUC is close to the PNC. But there are unions that are not attached to either the Government or the PNC.
The Republic Bank employees must go through the selections before they make a final decision.
NAACIE hardly fits the bill. It is a pro-government union, like GAWU and will not put trade union interests above political loyalty. This has been the tragedy of trade unionism in Guyana until a breakaway faction in the eighties after Lincoln Lewis formed the Federation of Independent Trade Unions (FITUG).
Today, organisations like GAWU and NAACIE have virtually turned the concept of an independent trade union into a horrible and horrific farce. NAACIE and GAWU have adopted the umbrella of FITUG. What is independent about NAACIE and GAWU? Both unions were forced by powerful ruling politicians to pull out of the TUC and resuscitate FITUG. Missing from FITG is one of the original founders, the University of Guyana Workers’ Union (UGWU) of which this writer is the Vice- Chairman.
One of the strange things about the trade union scene in Guyana is that the leadership of FITUG has never written to UGWU asking us to join them. One would like to think they would never be that foolish.
The Republic Bank employees have to be careful how they go about choosing a union. Do they want a representative that will not go against the wishes of the Government which controls him/her?
Take GAWU. Most people in this country do not know that the large number of strikes that GAWU was involved in against the Government even though its General-Secretary sits in the PPP leadership was called by the sugar workers themselves including the one at LBI last week.
One hopes that when the NAACIE people turn up at the Bank, they are shown the door.

Similar Articles

The Glenn Lall Show|| February, 14th, 2025

Follow on Tik Tok @Glennlall

THE BLUNT OF THE DAY

Sports

The Battle for Barbados: One Guyana Racing Stable faces off against top U.S. Trainers for Gold Cup supremacy

The Battle for Barbados: One Guyana Racing Stable faces off against...

Feb 23, 2025

Kaieteur Sports- The battle lines are drawn. One Guyana Racing Stable is here to make history. With the post positions set for the 2025 Sandy Lane Barbados Gold Cup, all eyes are on Guyana’s rising...
Read More
Tyrrell breaks 12-year-old school record to claim SUNYAC-AMCC title

Tyrrell breaks 12-year-old school record to claim...

Feb 23, 2025

Raja Pooran inspires Everest Masters to victory in Costa Rica

Raja Pooran inspires Everest Masters to victory...

Feb 23, 2025

BCB saddened at the passing of the late Lennox Phillips, extends condolences

BCB saddened at the passing of the late Lennox...

Feb 23, 2025

Berbice Cricket Board names 15-man squad to participate in Inter County U15 cricket competition

Berbice Cricket Board names 15-man squad to...

Feb 23, 2025

 Slingerz FC shines at Guyana Energy Conference and Youth Forum

 Slingerz FC shines at Guyana Energy Conference...

Feb 22, 2025

Features/Columnists

  • Crowds, chaos and complaints

    Peeping Tom… Kaieteur News- The folly of the cash grant distribution is a textbook case of what happens when a government,... more

Publisher’s Note

Freedom of speech is our core value at Kaieteur News. If the letter/e-mail you sent was not published, and you believe that its contents were not libellous, let us know, please contact us by phone or email.

Feel free to send us your comments and/or criticisms.
Contact: 624-6456; 225-8452; 225-8458; 225-8463; 225-8465; 225-8473 or 225-8491.
Or by Email: [email protected] / [email protected]

Weekend Cartoon

Bridge Watch

Demerara Harbour Bridge

> Berbice Bridge […]