GAWU/OWTU collaboration seeks to strengthen the rights of workers

Dear Editor,
The GAWU’s attention was drawn to a press statement issued by the Guyana Oil and Gas Energy Chamber (GOGEC) regarding our recently inked Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC) with the Oilfield Workers Trade Union (OWTU) of Trinidad and Tobago.
According to the statement, the Chamber expressed concern over our efforts to consolidate our longstanding relations with the OWTU, urging us to reconsider our decision.
The GAWU thanks the GOGEC for its interest in our work and activities. We are pleased that the Chamber has taken time to pen a statement on the MoC. We believe that the Chamber could have reached out to the Union regarding its concerns. Even at this stage, we are not unmindful of engaging the GOGEC; which, according to the statement, advances equality between foreigners and locals working in the sector.
The Chamber expressed the view that they are good industrial relations practitioners within the sector. We do not entirely share that view. In our activities among workers within the sector, we have learnt of the departure of certain practices, whether enshrined in statute or otherwise. Some of these issues were remedied only after we had brought them to the attention of the relevant authorities.
Had good industrial relations practices been a hallmark of the sector, such issues, we believe, would not have existed. We could provide further elucidation, should the GOGEC take up our offer of engagement.
The GAWU, however, sees our MoC with the OWTU as an important step in advancing the rights and conditions of Guyanese workers within the sector. Indeed, it strengthens solidarity between workers of the region’s energy powerhouses. It also allows the GAWU and the workers overall to benefit from the experiences of the OWTU. This, we believe, is critical to allowing our people to avoid any pitfalls, and to repeat successes.
The GAWU hopes that the GOGEC can see the wisdom in our collaboration at this time.

Sincerely,
Guyana Agricultural
and General Workers
Union (GAWU)