Port Mourant Market staff on strike

Labourers working at the Port Mourant Market have taken industrial action over the non-payment of wages and salaries for several months.

On Tuesday, workers attached to the Port Mourant Market, with responsibility for cleaning, downed tools in protest for non-receipt of wages.

On Monday the high piles of garbage and stench forced workers at the National Insurance Scheme at Port Mourant to take to the streets expressing their disgust over a situation which has now become a regular occurrence. The workers told the Guyana Times that enough is enough.

Karran Kalassar, who works as both a labourer and a watchman, says he has not been paid for the past three months. According to him, the Neighbourhood Democratic Council owes him in excess of $200,000 in wages.

The devoted employee, who works in the day on one job and then returns in the evening to take on another, says every week he is promised what is owed to him.

“They owe me for three months and now it going on another three months,” he said.

Another security employee, Omar Ally, was employed two months ago and to date, is still to receive his first wage.

He said, “It ain’t make sense you working and you children hungrying.”

Chetram Narine, who is also a security employee, has not been paid since his employment two months ago. He says he was told that the Regional Executive Officer (REO) has not signed the documents which will allow for them to be paid.

The workers say the conditions under which they have to work are poor. Many times the cleaners have to spend their personal money to purchase cleaning agents and equipment, which includes brooms and rakes to clean the market.

According to Ally, the workers find it very difficult to communicate with the NDC Overseer.

Two months ago, the workers took strike action over the lack of wages and salaries. As a result, the pile up of garbage in and around the market caused the market to be ordered closed.