Latest update January 5th, 2025 4:10 AM
Latest News
- Jagdeo must explain how Gas-to-Energy project is feasible with final cost still unknown- Norton
- ‘Citizens who wish to enter the political race should not be threatened’ – Nigel Hughes
- Biden notifies US Congress of planned $8bn arms sales to Israel: Reports
- Guyanese Silence Fuels Exploitation
- Senegal to end all foreign military presence in 2025
Trade union promises intensified protest action over cost of living woes
Kaieteur News – The Guyana Workers’ Union (GWU) is gearing up for intensified protest action if the government does not show compassion to its citizens, and render them much needed assistance to resist hardships associated with heightening cost of living.
The GWU says protests will increase if the government does not help the poor
The Union, in a show of dissatisfaction, held another protest outside Parliament Building yesterday, and has further increased calls for assistance to the public. GWU’s President Norris Witter told Kaieteur News that, given the ever increasing cost of living and the excruciating pain that is being felt by the elderly, in addition to demands made during their last protest, the Union is now, “…demanding a review of the old age pension, and the National Insurance Scheme (NIS) pension.”In addition to that, Witter said that the Union is also calling for the review of public assistance.
He said that having commenced their picketing exercise last week, the Union felt that it had given adequate time for the State to show some type of sympathetic response toward citizens. Having not done so, Witter said that the Union is now prepared to assess activities that have occurred so far, and if need be, will intensify the struggle for assistance regarding rising living costs.
The GWU leader explained too that emanating from the rising cost of living is a growing concern not just among its members, is the possible increase in crime. He said that, “because of the escalating cost of living, the increase in crime; people feel that their personal security is also being compromised.”
The Union leader stated however, that, “In reality, what this is all about, is a poor people’s protest that may very well morph into a poor people’s campaign.” He emphasized that if the State needs to be nudged in order to address the plight of the poor and ordinary people, “then we are prepared to do so.”
He highlighted that the Union is also putting on record its intension to not yield, “until demands that are on the table are considered and positively responded to.” He said that while the Union has been making its case under the shadow of the Hubert Nathaniel Critchlow statue, the father of trade unionism which sits in Parliament’s courtyard, the organization is ready to take its protests to other locations simultaneously, and with the support of other workers’ unions and civil society groups fighting the same cause.
“There are a number of other civil society organizations that have called us and indicated to us that their interest to a large extent coincides with us and that they are currently looking at ways and means of collaborating.”Witter said that so far, the Guyana Trade Union Congress (GTUC), Article 13, Our Wealth, Our country civil group and the Clerical and Commercial Workers’ Union (CCWU) have all made contact with the Union in their bid to support citizens given the current cost of living situation.
During last Friday’s protest, the GWU called for the honouring of the tripartite agreement that was accepted to raise workers’ pay from the minimum wage of $44,200 to $60,000. To date, the agreement, which was agreed to since 2019 has not been honoured and the document is still with Cabinet to be signed, Labour Minister Joseph Hamilton told this newspaper.
Witter had said too that the agreed $60,000 minimum wage now has no bearing on the current cost of living and thus called for the abolition of income tax – Pay as You Earn (PAYE) – claiming that high judicial officials and oil Company, ExxonMobil is not required to make those obligations and so it must be removed as a requirement for ordinary and poor citizens.
GWU had also called for the return of the Collective Bargaining Agreement, which permitted Unions to bargain for its workers. The GWU said that the agreement was removed under the last PPP government and despite the APNU+AFC Coalition campaigning to return the legal bargaining mechanism, they too had failed to do so.
Similar Articles
THE BLUNT OF THE DAY
Sports
Features/Columnists
The PPP is in self-destructive mode
Peeping Tom… Kaieteur News –The PPPC is not some scrappy garage band trying to book a gig at the Seawall Bandstand.... more
Forget Begging Rich Nations: Caribbean Countries Should Act to Save Themselves
By Sir Ronald Sanders Kaieteur News- It has long been evident that the world’s richest nations, especially those responsible... more
Weekend Cartoon
