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Lacking the requisite fortitude to call it as it is
Dear Editor,
Sugar workers went on strike for increased wages in November. Before that, to break a deadlock in talks between GAWU and GuySuCo in late October, the Ministry of Labour intervened and imposed compulsory arbitration.
The Arbitration Panel awarded a three percent increase in wages to be paid by the end of March 2010. The workers decided they wanted it before Christmas and went on strike again.
Again, the government moved with haste to meet the sugar workers demand and is now paying out the increase in time for Christmas. GuySuCo had to borrow money from the banks to fulfill the workers’ demand.
The struggles and successes of the sugar workers are worthy of applause. Now look at bauxite workers who since November have been struggling for a wage increase. After the company refused to pay, the workers went on strike. The Ministry of Labour has not intervened to have the matter resolved through arbitration.
The bauxite company has since fired and suspended some workers including union leaders and again the government has not intervened to settle the impasse.
The company then said it does not recognize the union and again the government has not intervened.
Workers who have broken the strike and returned to work are forced to sign letters of de-recognition of their union and again the government has not intervened. Union leaders have been saying these acts are illegal and the government again has not intervened.
Most, if not all, bauxite workers are Christians and Christmas means more to them than the festivity and merrymaking, yet the government has not intervened to settle their problems and give them an income to celebrate the yuletide season.
Old people say what you can see in the day don’t tek fire stick to see at nights. Put the case of the sugar workers and bauxite workers side by side and clear as day, the PPP is discriminating against some section of the workforce.
Do the politicians who were elected by this constituency have the testicular fortitude to call it as it is? Will the media call it like it is? Will the Guyana Human Rights Association, Bar Association and Guyana Council of Churches call it as it is? After all, the bauxite workers are also their constituency and customers.
Albert Thompson
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