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Ministry workers were coerced to protest – GPSU
The Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU) has accused government of threatening
File photo: Workers of several Government Ministries during the protest on Wednesday in front of the Parliament Building.
workers to participate in protest actions earlier this week in front of the Parliament Building.
According to the union yesterday, it is alarmed by the “coercive method” used by Government functionaries in getting public servants out to protest in front of the Parliament Building on Wednesday.
“The GPSU was inundated with telephone calls from its members who were told that it was mandatory for them to attend the protest action being conducted at the Parliament Building,” a statement from the union said.
GPSU insisted that the alleged action by Government functionaries is illegal and unconstitutional and the union had even advised public servants not to attend.
“The union wishes to inform all public service workers whose emoluments are under consideration in the National Budget currently being debated in Parliament that the Guyana Public Service Union would not be supportive of any action that would result in them being made redundant or in any way resulting in their unemployment.”
In fact, the GPSU said that it is pledging to vigorously and aggressively confront any development of that nature and has placed on record its position that the parallel public service (contracted workers) should be disbanded and that the public service should be a career service and all employees be treated in an even hand and equitable manner.
“We advocate that permanent pensionable positions must not be occupied by contract employees and where this exists, such persons who are eligible should be offered permanent employment through the Public Service Commission at the levels and salaries as is shown in the Estimates of Expenditure for each Ministry.”
There are a number of vacancies existing in the Public Service on the “Permanent Pensionable Establishment”.
“The government instead of filling these positions through the regular channel, the Public Service Commission, is using the tactic of hiring their supporters in positions on contract at salaries superior to what is paid for that post in the traditional public service.
“Further, the employees are not guaranteed security of tenure and the renewal of the contracts is at the whims and fancy of the political directorate. This is viewed as a measure of keeping the employees in line.”
GPSU stressed that it sees the hiring of contract workers as politicizing the public service and compromising its professionalism and credibility to deal with the general public in a fair and even handed manner.
“It is also being exploited for “union busting”. This is evident from the complaint received from some contracted workers that if they were to join the union their services will be terminated. Moreover, they were debarred from taking part in union activities.”
The union said this was evident with the creation of National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute and Guyana Livestock Development Authority which saw people who were on the Permanent Pensionable Establishment, some with over 20 years service at the Ministry of Agriculture, being transferred to a contractual status with no security of tenure and nothing to which they can look forward to at their time of retirement.
“These are the undesirable service which the GPSU is objecting to and continuously pursues representation to have corrected. The government is so bent on pursuing this type of activity that through its channel (that) it is coercing public workers to resign and reapply for contractual employment if they want to be promoted.”
According to GPSU, it sees the developments as very dangerous and placing the premier workforce of this country which should enjoy the confidence and trust of all the citizenry in a very untenable and risky situation.
The protest in front of Public Buildings on Wednesday stemmed from a proposal by the Alliance For Change (AFC) to slash the budget of several government ministries as it relates to contract workers. The Parliamentary Opposition party is of the view that a number of Government supporters were being paid super-salaries.
However, several workers of the Ministries led by Ministers, protested in front of Public Buildings where the 2012 Budget is currently being considered for passage.
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