Not a whimper from Guyana Local Government Officers Union

Dear Editor,
Something has to be seriously wrong with the labour union that represents the ‘fixed’ or permanent employees of the Mayor and Councillors of the City of Georgetown, and that union to which I refer is the Guyana Local Government Officers Union.
Quite recently, we saw the other union, the Guyana Labour Union, which represents the additional category of municipal employees better known as ‘unfixed’ workers, undertaking a demarche on City Hall, and under the astute leadership of Mr Carvil Duncan, they let the council’s administrators know exactly how they felt about the atrocities being committed against their members who are workers.
But for some strange reason, the Guyana Local Government Officers Union seems to have become dumb, deaf, toothless, and completely uncaring to the hardships its membership faces each day.
Could you imagine the workers are faced, month after month after month for the past two years, with receiving their salaries late, which causes them to have to pay additional interest on loans acquired, having their electricity and water supply cut off each month due to late payments, having the hire purchase people chase after them for their monthly installments. And not a whimper is heard from this union.
The union is aware that its membership is forced to inhumanely slaughter animals at the abattoir; made to work without proper tools, without the required protective gear, and in workspaces and offices that are derelict, unsafe, and are an eyesore, but the union says not a word.
Inevitably, the Council will have to downsize its gargantuan staff structure, but what will be interesting to note is who will get the pink slips.
Will the Council’s workers ever be properly represented against the atrocities being committed against them by their employers? And will the rights of workers be protected and collectively bargained on behalf of? Let us wait and see.

Best regards,
Deodarie Putulall