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A most troubling position by Government on this issue of workers’ rights
Dear Editor
The National Assembly last Thursday, 19th July commenced the debate on the Motion, calling for the establishment of a Ministry that gives equal prominence and recognition to Labour. On the united trade union community’s behalf the Motion was brought by PPP/C Members of Parliament Gillian Burton-Persaud and Komal Chand, who are the proposer and seconder of same.
This motion was only allowed presentations from the proposer and seconder and put in abeyance to be addressed at a future time. The National Assembly is controlled by the APNU+AFC and the fact that this side of the House used their position of privilege to defer, yet again, a matter of import to the workers of this country-who for centuries with or without pay, whips raining down on their backs, toiling from pre-dawn to post-dust, worked or are working under arduous condition to build this nation- is most troubling.
Labour’s position is not that of seeking a new ministry but that of calling for equal prominence and treatment, whereby the 189 International Labour Organisation (ILO) Conventions that attend to the welfare of workers- past, present and potential; unionised or not- can be addressed. Whereas Social Protection under the ILO addresses only 17 Conventions, the fact that the remaining more than 170 Conventions are not being given similar attention and treatment is not only a slap in the face of workers but a signal being sent that the value of workers’ struggles and their presence in this nation are not of consequence.
The trade union community has proposed that Labour’s request can be accommodated in the Ministry of Social Protection where the ministry can be renamed, Ministry of Labour and Social Protection or, Labour can be equally accommodated in any other ministry as government so chooses. There exists precedence in our society.
The motion comes at a time of growing concern that workers are being relegated to an era when their relevance was only seen as beasts of burden, incidental to the production chain and deserving only of the crumbs falling from massa’s table, not as equal and participating members of society. The industrial relations climate is at its nadir. Rumblings are increasing with regard to the disrespect for Collective Bargaining where workers are unionised, the non-enforcement of Labour Laws such as the Trade Union Recognition Act, Termination and Severance Pay Act, the absence of any known national programme to tackle poverty, unemployment, increasing market prices, low wages, etc.
No society can develop without the brains and muscle of its workers, and its workers being treated justly and fairly. The trade union community sees the debates and passage of this Motion as a defining moment of Government’s position as to how it intends to treat with the working class. It will say to all workers whether their struggle for representative government and equal treatment can realise unity by their elected representatives on a pivotal issue that influences their welfare. It will confirm whether trade union solidarity on this issue can see similar action in the political arena. Such will prove the right to freedom of association or the presence of diversity is no hindrance to being One People with common dreams, hopes and aspirations.
Lincoln Lewis
General Secretary
Guyana Trades Union Congress.
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