Political influence on trade unions undermining workers’ rights

Political influence on trade unions is greater than trade unions’ influence on political processes. This is according to General Secretary of Guyana Trades Union Congress Lincoln Lewis, who stated that having a trade union whose leaders are supportive of a government can undermine workers’ fundamental rights, as that union may not oppose government decisions which may impact workers’ lives.
Lewis was at the time giving his input in a panel discussion during Television Guyana’s “The Factor”.

Reflecting on the history of trades unions, and their ties to political parties, Lewis stated that trade unions today are in a retrogressive state: “We are retrogressing from what it was. There is greater party politics in the workplace or the activities of the trade unions. Government and Opposition politics in the operation of trade unions rather than the trade unions influencing the political processes…what we have here is a situation where there is more politics and power in the form of politics being imposed rather than the influence of trade unions on workers welfare,” he stated, adding that “basically, it removes or undermines their fundamental rights.”
Lewis also took the opportunity to lambast government’s failure to make representation at the International Labour Organisation’s (ILO) Annual Conference, stating that the ILO plays an important part in developing workers’ rights: “When we became an independent nation, two of the first institutions that Guyana joined was the United Nations and the ILO. The ILO is the oldest member in the family of the United Nations. It is the only institution that the government, the employer, and the workers’ representatives meet and discuss and determine conventions and recommendations as to how they can influence decisions in the world.”
He went on to explain that many of these conventions are formed into laws in this country, adding: “When you do not attend, the programmes that are being conceptualised and developed at the ILO, you will not have an input into it. The ILO Conference gives you the opportunity to network with other countries as it relates to laws, conventions and some process of development.”
Meanwhile Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) General Secretary Seepaul Narine posited that there is a growing need to separate politics and trade unionism.
According to Narine, while there needs to be a partnership between the government and the unions, the partnership must not be one of convenience: “If you’re going to develop industry…there ought to be a partnership. There ought to be partnership between government, the private sector and labour unions. But this partnership cannot be one that conveniently, when labour is needed, only then they are seen as partners. They have to be genuine partners and there needs to be respect.”
Seepaul iterated that the labour unions need to see that their constituent is the right of the workers, and they must therefore put this constituent first and foremost in making decisions.
Social and political activist Ravi Dev also pointed out the need for a separation between politics and trade unionism, stating that when the political party of the union’s choice is elected into government, that party now has a wider scope of responsibilities and will not be able to place workers’ rights on the front burner: “Political movement came out of the labour movement, but soon after they controlled the labour movement. I think the lesson out of both sugar and bauxite industries, is that once you give your loyalty to that political entity that may have the government in the reins of power, that entity now has to look at wider interests.”
It was also pointed out that to this date, many of the promises made to workers by political parties that have been in power are yet to be fulfilled, an example of this being collective bargaining.