THIS GOVERNMENT IS PRO-UNION

May 14, 2017 AFC Column, Features / Columnists

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(Last week we published a section of the speech delivered to the nation’s workers on Labour Day by Minister of Natural Resources, Hon. Raphael Trotman for the Government of Guyana. Today we continue his discourse)
Despite the murmurings of a few, it is undeniable that this Government is pro-union and wants only what is best for the national good, and for our workers. Unions should also be able to see the bigger picture and support the thrust for a greater good.
Just (recently) the United Nations Development Report – 2016 was handed over to Government, and I recommend that trade unions embrace and even adapt the theme of that report which is “Human Development for Everyone”. Trade Unions do not ever have a passive or superficial role in nation building; they always have a strategic and integral role to play and they are required to make themselves available to collaborate for the benefit of their members, our people.
At this juncture, on the eve of the second anniversary of our Coalition in Government, we can say that we have been able to fulfill many of the promises we made in our 2015 Manifesto, especially under the sub-heading: “Industrial Relations and Labour Welfare”. For example, we have restored collective bargaining which had been relegated to the doldrums for more than two decades. Even though enough gains have not yet been secured, we are off to a great start.
I’m sure you can recall when we took office that the public service minimum wage was $42,703. Through negotiations and government’s own initiative, the Public Service minimum rate of pay now stands at $55,000 per month, an increase of almost 30%.
A similar minimum wage increase was put into effect for non-unionized Private Sector employees. They have received an increase of 26% (or $255 per hour), the highest ever in the history of our country for this category of workers. And let’s not forget that we have increased Senior Citizens Pensions by almost 45%, taking it to $19,000 per month.
Government is fully cognizant of the fact that these increases are still not fully adequate to satisfy the needs of our workers past and present, but please be assured that we are doing the best we can under the current circumstances.
Youth Development is a large part of our growth trajectory, so we have not only laid a National Youth Policy in the National Assembly, we are also preparing robust training programmes under the auspices of the Board of Industrial Training (BIT). These programmes are meant to equip our young people with the skills and attitudes to play the roles meant for building a productive and efficient nation.
In 2015, a total of 1,540 youths were trained as tradesmen and artisans, and in 2016 that number increased to 1,593.
All of this is being done to ensure that an adequate supply of well-trained, properly equipped and disciplined workers is always available to run/oversee our industries. I would therefore entreat our trade unions to support your government and its initiatives designed to build up for our children what was deliberately broken down!
The APNU+AFC government has had to take on the Herculean task of putting new policies and programmes in place to mitigate, alleviate and liberate workers from the stress and distress to which they were condemned for more than two decades.
For instance, the Occupational Safety and Health Act, Chapter 99:10 provides for the establishment of a National Advisory Council on Occupational Safety and Health (NACOSH). One of the functions of that Council is to advise the Government on policy guidelines and implementation for the benefit workers in particular, and the nation as a whole.
We were very upset and very disappointed in 2015 when we were informed that for several years this committee did not function. In our opinion, that was tantamount to “superlative neglect”, the abandonment of the rights and interest of this nation’s workers. How could any administration not care about its workers’ continued health and wellness?
To remedy such a shameful situation we wasted no time in appointing a NACOSH which has so far been functioning creditably. I shall not bore you with the statistics, but I can tell you that NACOSH has contributed immensely to the crafting of a New Decent Work Country Programme for Guyana. Let there be no mistake … we are committed to protecting our workers, their health and safety. The people who toil in the interior mining minerals also do not fall outside this programme.
Comrades, another achievement that I want to remind you of is the magnificent work being done by the National Tripartite Committee. This body has rekindled the interest of its social partners and they are all moving towards effective Social Dialogue. It is through that committee that we were able to successfully amend the National Minimum Wages Order which I mentioned earlier, i.e. fixing the Minimum Wages in the Private Sector to $255 per hour.
It would be remiss of me if I fail to disclose that we are working assiduously to establish an Industrial Tribunal that will speedily resolve a number of long existing industrial matters and bring Justice for workers, trade unions, employers and even Government itself.
We are convinced that with such a Tribunal in place, many employers would be obliged to operate well within the ambit of our Labour Laws. There will be no more loopholes. Our workers will have the protection that is due to them, and their Unions would be equipped to continue their fight for justice on level ground.
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The AFC takes this opportunity to wish every single Guyanese mother (of 1 or 13) a Happy Mother’s Day today. We collectively thank you for your patience, your strength, protection and guidance. God’s richest blessings to you!

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