With a message that Government will not shut its door to unions representing the workers, President David Granger and his entourage spent Labour Day visiting a number of unions based in Georgetown.
President David Granger along with several Ministers, including Minister of State Joseph Harmon, greeted by Guyana Teachers Union members
Granger was received with open arms by union members when he arrived at the Guyana Teachers Union (GTU) on Woolford Avenue. At the GTU, the President insisted that his Administration has an open-door approach to union issues.
“Earlier this year, I met with [Guyana Agricultural and General Workers’ Union] GAWU. The important thing is the future of Guyana is in the hands of the workers and also the Government. We have to work together. This is my message to all workers.”
“This Government is a listening Government; this Government is learning, and this Government is caring,” Granger informed media operatives. “No union leader can say the doors to the President are closed.”
The President went on to visit the Guyana Local Government Officers Union (GLGOU) at Upper Woolford Avenue. There, he had lunch and interacted with union members.
The Guyana Public Service Union, the Guyana Postal and Telecommunications Workers Union and the Clerical and Commercial Workers Union were also featured on the President’s schedule.
On Tuesday, thousands braved threatening rain to march across the city and while there was a show of unity on Tuesday, Government has not had the best of relations with the unions over the past few months.
With the dismissal of sugar workers, GAWU at one point was mulling taking the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) to court over its decision to pay thousands of dismissed and retrenched sugar workers part, and not all, of their severance purportedly this month end.
In addition, Government relations with the GTU deteriorated to such a point that there was a walk out from a meeting between union officials and the Government. The issues of concern to the Union had included the stagnated negotiations between the GTU and the Education Ministry for increased teachers’ remuneration and outstanding payments among other matters.
Additionally, the Union had expressed concern about a memorandum that could see teachers having to work during their designated lunch period. The Union had accused Government of side-lining and disrespecting it, resulting in the Union threatening a countrywide strike if the Government failed to take decisive action to address the concerns of the representative body.
That strike was aborted after conciliatory measures from Government. A task force was also set up to examine outstanding problems, with a view to their timely resolution and to propose a new, multi-year agreement between the Government and the GTU.
