Labour Day 2018…Trade unionists raise concerns over lack of collective bargaining agreements

May 02, 2018 News

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– Call made for re-establishment of Labour Ministry

Trade unionists representing workers, who turned out in their thousands at the annual Labour Day March yesterday, issued a renewed call for better cooperation between key stakeholders towards achieving collective bargaining agreements for workers employed at the various levels of the public and private sectors.
Emphasizing the need for the contracts, General Secretary of the Guyana Trades Union Congress, (GTUC) Lincoln Lewis told the large gathering at the National Park, that the lack of collective bargaining continues to hamper the work of the unions as they seek to make proper representation on behalf of workers.
Lewis noted that for over 15 years, members of the GPSU have been deprived collective bargaining—nine years for workers in the Bauxite Company of Guyana Incorporated.
“The Teachers Union is still to sign an agreement that flows from collective bargaining. The sugar unions are expressing concerns being sidelined in the decision-making of GuySuCo, though they have expressed encouragement that under the NICIL’s Special Purpose Unit attitudes are changing,” Lewis added.
He noted that promises made by politicians that collective bargaining would be respected should you vote for them, is proving that the “honourable” prefix no longer holds honour.
“Minister Scott on Sunday called on the trade union to be a game changer. We are saying to Minister Scott the trade union continues to be, and calls on this administration to change the nation’s politics for the better. That commitment and promise were given to us.”

Lewis said that the Unions are prepared to work with the Government to bring about the necessary change. He noted that “the absence of a Ministry of Labour not only signals the value government places on a country’s most valued resource, but also communicates to allies and foes of Guyana that Guyanese are not considered pivotal to the country’s development, and such perception is reinforced with the country’s non-attendance to International Labour Organisation Conference for the past three years.”
In this regard, the trade unionist called on the government and political opposition to make representation in Parliament towards re-establishing a separate Labour Ministry.
Lewis implored PPP/C Member of Parliament (MP) Gillian Burton-Persaud, to take a Motion to the House seeking the re-establishment of the Ministry of Labour.
In his remarks, First Vice President of the Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Guyana, (FITUG), Komal Chand, spoke extensively on the issue of unemployment and the plight of sugar workers.
“Our meeting today can also not disregard the plight that has befallen thousands of our fellow workers in the sugar industry. Theirs would be yet another sad chapter in our country’s history. Over recent months, some 7,000 sugar workers have been sent home without any plan to address their welfare.”
“Then to add pepper to the deep wound and contrary to our law, some workers received only half of their severance payments and some others at Wales –none.”
“For us this is one of the most callous of decisions ever made in living memory. Today, many of the workers who have been placed on the breadline, remain right there unable to find steady jobs and in some cases any job at all. The promises of saving sugar heard boisterously by persons now in Government have proven to be hollow and empty.”
Chand said, however, that despite the daunting challenges, the workers did not give up hope.
They demonstrated an indomitable will to stand up and to call attention to their plight as they sought to overcome and win out in this struggle.
PPP/C MP Burton-Persaud also decried the unemployment situation, describing it as nothing short of a crisis. The PPP representative noted that a promise was made by the current Administration to provide a “Good Life for all Guyanese”.
Burton-Persaud said that the promise of a good life may be further from reality than ever in light of the country‘s rapidly declining economy.
The Opposition representative noted that the statistics revealed there is a mutual struggle of workers in dealing with sluggish economy.
Meanwhile, Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs Basil Williams told the crowd that the interest of workers has always been at the heart of Government.
Williams noted that since taking office, Government has been working assiduously to undo the damage done by the previous regime. He said that for the past three years, “this administration has been working to mend the broken system and achieve the standards for the working class as stipulated by the International Labour Organization (ILO).”
Williams noted too that Government has moved to have consultations with the various Unions towards achieving a collective bargaining agreement.
“We were able to engage RUSAL in an amicable way and took steps to work with them in the interest of workers —something that seemed impossible under the previous administration”
Additionally, the Minister noted that statistics show that there has been a decline in the unemployment rate. “So never let it be said that this government does not have the interest of workers at heart,” Williams asserted.
Labour Day March 2018 brought together a wide cross section of workers and representatives, a number of different unions including the Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU), the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU), the Guyana Teachers’ Union (GTU), the Guyana Trades Union Congress (GTUC) and the Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Guyana (FITUG).
Thousands of workers from the various sectors assembled at Parade Ground at 7:00 am and marched the streets until they arrived at the National Park at almost midday.
Those that gathered at the Park called for, among other things, better wages, working hours, benefits, increases and promotions. En route to the National Park, marchers met with a small group of protesters from Human Rights Group, Red Thread.
The group stood on the sidelines calling for an end to sexual harassment in the workplace and for better wages for domestic workers.

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