Providing clarity for a misinformed letter writer

Jul 04, 2013 Letters

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Dear Editor,
Permit me to respond to the letter in the Wednesday 3rd July 2013 edition of your newspaper captioned “A useless trade union at the City Council”. While the letter writer’s caption refers to “A trade union”, he therein mentioned the two Trade Unions that represent workers at the Mayor and City Council.
It is not the practice of the Guyana Local Government Officers Union (GLGOU) to embark on a tit-for-tat with persons who are seemingly misinformed of matters of the GLGOU or  fail to take the time to verify the accuracy of information received prior to disseminating same least their motive be mischievous.
I am compelled to correct some inaccuracies contained in the letter.  I wish to remind the writer that is was the GLGOU that immediately objected to the appointment of the Town Clerk (ag) due to her being inexperienced, unqualified and lacking the effective managerial skills required to effectively and efficiently perform the duties the office of the Town Clerk requires.
Several correspondences were sent to the Minister of Local Government and Regional Development objecting to this appointment. This was followed by the GLGOU staging industrial action for several days and closing several offices of the Georgetown Municipality, including municipal markets. The strike only ended when the Chief Labour Officer intervened and invoked the conciliation clause under the Labour Act.
The GLGOU continues to fight for the removal of the present Town Clerk (ag). In the absence of a Local Government Commission, the Minister has the power to appoint senior officers as specified in Municipal and District Councils Act Chapter 28:01.
With regards to the union doing nothing for its members, it is the GLGOU  that took the Administration of the Mayor and City Council before the Ministry of Labour to address several outstanding issues, including the payment of outstanding allowances to officers and the confirming of appointments for employees who were acting for extended periods of time. The latter have engaged the Personnel and Training committee for approval.
The deduction of the four percent for officers’ deposit was well ventilated both in the print and electronic media, and at the level of the Ministry of Labour. The Town Clerk (ag) agreed to the GLGOU’s recommendation to take the matter to the full council, which she did, and approval was given by full Council. The decision of Council was then sent to the Minister of Local and Regional Development as only Minister has the authority as per Chapter 28.01.  We have engaged the Minister on this issue and are awaiting his decision. We hope that this will be addressed in the Local Government Reform process. The GLGOU has in its possession monthly financial data on all deductions made for its members.
May I remind Mr. John Patterson (letter writer), that in order for an organisation to grow and develop in this world of globalisation, it must focus its attention on the building of human capacity and organisational structure. Participation at seminars and other activities, which in all cases are sponsored by organisations the GLGOU is affiliated to, are intend to equip our membership to effectively respond to the rapid changes within the world of work and our members’ self-development.
These exposures have resulted in our members who participated in seminars, workshops and conferences  in Japan, South Africa, Jamaica, Barbados, Montserrat, Antigua and Suriname, just to name a few, occupying senior positions within the organisation and utilizing their skills and knowledge and networking effectively to the benefit of the organisation.  Participation at local and overseas programs is open to members of GLGOU, who exhibit the aptitude and capacity to participate meaningfully in the workshop.  All the executive members of the GLGOU are volunteering their services and do not receive a salary or allowances.
Finally, I wish to remind the writer, that the Trade Union is a unique organisation which has a structure like no other. It is owned by the workers, managed by the workers, and works for the benefit of the workers.  The Guyana Local Government Officers Union is not a one-man Trade Union and will never be as long as I am president. The structure of the GLGOU provides for industrial relations issues and grievances to be addressed at the level of departmental representatives in the various sections and departments of the Mayor and City Council, and if not satisfied, the Industrial Relations Committee of the GLGOU.  At all times, professionalism, honesty and compliance with the laws and procedures are our benchmark.
I hope that the above information will serve to further enlighten and educate the letter writer on the misinformation in his letter.  A simple telephone call to myself or any one of my executive members (all the contact information of executive members are available) would have provide clarity. While the GLGOU has continued the struggle to protect the rights of employees we represent, shouldn’t Mr. Patterson be asking what are the policy makers doing to address the declining standards and conditions of the Garden City? Why do the representatives of the political parties continue to allow the Town Clerk (ag) to disrespect the elected Councillors of the Mayor and Councillors of the City of Georgetown?
Dale Beresford
President, GLGOU

 

 

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