Guyana Public Service Union

May 01, 2023 News

Kaieteur News – Message from the President /CEO, Mr. Patrick M. Yarde, on the Occasion of Labour Day 2023

For those who are not familiar with “International Workers’ Day”. In Guyana, this day is a public holiday that is also be known as “Labour Day” or “May Day”. It is a day devoted to the celebration of the working class, which is endorsed by the international labour movement and occurs every year on 1 May. The first International Workers Day was celebrated 133 years ago on May 1, 1890. International Day in Guyana is celebrated in “remembrance of the great exploits and stirring sacrifices made by fellow workers in Guyana’s ungenerous industrial relations history.” The theme for celebration of International Workers’ Day 2023 in Guyana is “Building Strong Progressive Unions to Respond to New Challenges”.

Trade union rights of workers, as well as, their freedom of association are guaranteed under the Constitution of Guyana. However, the Government of Guyana shows glaring double standards as it relates to these constitutional entitlements. Persons are often treated with jaundiced eyes based on their perceived political affiliation and ethnicity; some organisations are ostracized based on perceptions of political allegiances or opinions. As a result, they are subjected to various acts of discrimination and victimization and unlawful abuses. Similar treatment is meted out, if persons or firms are opposed to acts of executive lawlessness and unlawful political conduct that is clearly and frequently displayed by Government Officials.

It is well established that the GPSU is an APOLITICAL organisation that have been outspoken on issues related to Government abuses/excesses, which include, but are not limited to, the following:

(a) The failure to appoint constitutional and other institutions, such as, the Public Service Commission and the Judicial Services Commission that were formulated to enable good governance. These institutions seems to be politically hijacked

(b) Breaches of the Constitution and Laws of Guyana, International Labour Organisation Core Conventions that are in force and the ILO Declaration of Fundamental Rights and Principles of Workers and the legally binding Collective Labour Agreement between the Government of Guyana and GPSU.

(c) Acting in conflict with all grounding principles of Trade Unionism and working-class credentials that it pretends to have.

(d) The deliberate, blatant, and discriminatory ignoring of the astronomical increase in cost of living; current inadequate earnings of workers, who provided and continue to provide quality public services; and the displeasure displayed by so many workers, particularly those in the health sector and teaching services, who choose migration rather than remain in this hostile, political, race-charged environment, ineptly managed by an ungrateful, uncaring, and insensitive employer.

(e) Manifestly undervaluing employees’ services and contributions to the progress and development of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana.

(f) Unsympathetic, unenlightened, and backward approach to modern industrial relations, including provocation, discrimination, and the act of challenging workers to be confrontational, which could ultimately lead to the creation of further ethic divisions in the society.

(g) Political intimidation of workers, through Ministerial interventions at workplaces.

(h) Facilitating political involvement in the Public Service through the implantation of political operatives under specialized contracts within the Public Service and the involvement of Ministers of Government in the responsibility of the Administrative arm of Government, contrary to the prescription of the Constitution of Guyana. The GPSU has had to bring to the attention of President Ali its concerns and displeasure with the unconstitutional political interference, particularly in the case of the Minister of the Public Service, and other political appointees in the administration of the Public Service.

(i) The lack of genuine interaction with the workers’ representative and the perennial breaches of Collective Labour Agreements.

(j) Failure to pursue a path of good governance through respect for the rule of law and to resolve issues through the legitimate processes of collective bargaining.

(k) As the largest employer nationally, the Government sets no example for other employers on issues of workers’ rights, collective bargaining, and good faith negotiations.

(l) Propagating a myth within the Public Sector that contract employment is more desirable and secure than the permanent establishment status, to maintain political control over employment within the sector. This diatribe was espoused by Labour Minister Joseph Hamilton in an interview with Globespan on March 22, 2022, even though his professional responsibilities include:

protecting working people by enforcing labour legislation;
the maintenance of industrial peace, through advisory or conciliatory measures between trade unions and employers; and
facilitating access to the labour market.

(m) Ignoring the GPSU’s request to ratify International Labour Organisation Convention C190 on “Violence and Harassment”, together with its related “Violence and Harassment” Recommendation 206.

Most disturbing to the Guyana Public Service Union are the challenges faced to get the Government to respect labour rights that has significantly deteriorated since 1992, when the PPP/C came back into Government.

The return to power of the PPP/C in 1992 resulted in very serious confrontations, even though in 1997, before the death of President Dr. Cheddie B. Jagan, it appeared as if the situation would be reconciled with the appointment by President Jagan of a bilateral joint committee comprised of six Government stalwarts and six GPSU/TUC representatives, to consider the question of Wages and Salaries in the Public Service. This belief was short lived with the death of President Jagan on March 6, 1997 before the completion and tabling of the unanimous decision of the committee that was considered a brilliant beginning to addressing the woes of Public Servants. The recommendations of the committee were nonetheless scuttled under the leadership of President Janet Jagan and this was followed by the 57 days Public Service strike in the year 1999.

Again, a legally binding agreement was entered into that brought the strike to an end. The agreement included features on how the relationship should proceed, but these have been reneged on for more than two decades and are now at a stage that could be considered disastrous.

There were legitimate expectations based on commitments given by the APNU/AFC opposition which formed the government in 2015. These expectations surrounded mainly the Collective Labour Agreements and Agency Fees Agreement, among other things. The undertakings given were not fulfilled or honoured over the five years of that Government and, of course, the PPP/C returned to Government in 2020, creating a more precarious industrial relations environment.

The GPSU has made repeated efforts to engage the government and to have issues resolved through mature and professional engagements in keeping with the spirit and intent of legally binding Collective Labour Agreements. This approach seems to be rejected by the Government functionaries whose displayed conduct is very frustrating to the extent of non-engagements and at the same time arbitrarily taking actions in these matters, even abusing rights of workers and flouting their constitutional obligations to appoint constitutional bodies to discharge functions that are critical and essential to good governance. Confronted with this display of executive lawlessness and unconstitutional abusive conduct the GPSU has resorted to the judiciary.

This resort was chosen against the background that:

The members made significant sacrifices in taking Industrial Action.
The COVID-19 pandemic was deadly and very risky for members to engage in further Industrial Action, coupled with the fact that they are tasked with the responsibility of delivering essential services.

Now, timely justice in these matters is curtailed by Government’s sloth or abject failure to appoint the Judicial Service Commission and the Public Service Commission. There is also the dilemma to properly staff the Judiciary to take care of the extensive case overburden, due to an insufficient number of Judges to address the situation. The high cost of living exacerbates the pressures on people to survive in this economic environment – undoubtedly, this situation cannot be allowed to continue indefinitely.

As a result of the GPSU stance on these and other matters, Government has, over the years subjected the Union to a litany of abuses, including:

The suspension of the Agency Shop Agreement.
Reregistration of membership.
Union busting and de-certification of representation at a number of agencies, including the Guyana Forestry Commission.
Scant regard for legally enforceable Collective Labour Agreements with GPSU and lack of respect for the legally enshrined collective bargaining processes.

These forms of discrimination and victimization are meant to weaken the Union and rob it of its support base. There are also active intentions to weaken militant Public Service Workers, through a process of selectively paying higher wages, salaries, and allowances to a chosen few.

As a Union, we must continue to demand that Government respect the rule of law, be inclusive, desist from its discriminatory posture and involve all stakeholders in the decision-making processes and subscribe to the precepts of good governance, through which national goals could be achieved and wealth equitably distributed to all.

On this note, I would like to wish workers, past and present, a happy, enjoyable, safe, unified and militant International Workers’ Day, while thanking all of you for the strength and understanding displayed in the face of Government’s discriminatory tactics. I entreat you to buttress yourselves to meet the vile challenges being unveiled by Government and remain unified for a better tomorrow.

Solidarity for Ever, for the Union Makes us Strong!
May God bless and keep us all.