Latest update December 23rd, 2024 3:40 AM
You hold the power to change the direction of an entire nation – GTUC representative tells women
Quoting the popular phrase of renowned, American labour activist Ralph Chaplin, Head of the Guyana
GTUC’s advisory committee, Karen Van Sluytman – Corbin
Trades Union Congress, (GTUC) advisory committee, Karen Van Sluytman- Corbin, noted that women hold the power to change the nation in their hands.
“Let us know that as women, in our hands is placed a power greater than they that hoarded gold, greater than the might of armies, magnified a thousand fold. We can bring forth the birth of a new world from the ashes of the old… “Van Sluytman- Corbin told the attendees of the annual Labour Day rally, yesterday at Critchlow Labour College.
The event attracted a wide cross section of Guyanese, particularly those who work as public servants. A significant number of women also attended the rally.
Speaking specifically to the issues affecting women in the public service, the GTUC representative cited the problems facing nurses at Linden,(Region Ten) and the union itself in acquiring the much needed government subvention.
As she weighed in on issues of victimization and discrimination, Van Sluytman-Corbin detailed that nurses attached to the hospital in Linden still have problems collecting their gratuity after they would have proceeded on maternity leave.
“And as far I understand this problem is specific to nurses in Linden alone, now that‘s discrimination! The women’s committee of the GTUC has stopped receiving government’s annual subvention for about eight years now… the money would have been used for training female workers but it was withheld, that’s victimization,” the female union representative asserted.
Van Sluytman- Corbin also echoed the calls of several women rights groups and stakeholder organizations that more can be done to address matters of domestic violence, sexual abuse and sexual harassment in their work environments and communities as a whole.
Underlining her personal plight, Van Sluytman-Corbin, a Senior Labour Safety/Health Officer, noted that for 26 years, she was not able to secure a promotion in her field of work even after applying for the position three times.
To that end, she noted that women need to seriously recognize the power of their vote in determining the direction of their country.
“The power is in your vote workers… your role is important to society…Do we want it to remain on the same path we are on or see development and progress for all Guyanese? Van Sluytman-Corbin asked, adding that “in casting our votes, we guarantee that as women we will be respected.”
“Our rights will not continue to be violated…All those issues affecting women will be addressed and importance will be placed on our stratum of society,” she added.
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