General Secretary of the Guyana Trades Union Congress (GTUC), Lincoln Lewis, has articulated his conviction that unions must be consulted in the bargaining process with workers.
GTUC General Secretary, Lincoln Lewis
Declaring open the 53rd Delegates’ Third Triennial Conference of the National Association of Agricultural, Commercial and Industrial Employees (NAACIE), held at the Umana Yana in Georgetown on Thursday, the veteran trade unionist told delegates that workers MUST be galvanised in solidarity if they want to capitalise on gaining the benefits that they deserve.
“The right to freedom of association and collective bargaining did not come without solidarity and struggle; so too, minimum wage, paid leave, occupational health and safety, internal self-government, human rights, equal pay and equal work. We must remain galvanised in protecting and advancing these achievements,” he advised.
A section of the Delegates at Thursday’s opening
Encouraging workers to stand firmly committed to advocating for workers’ rights despite political alliances, Lewis declared that workers must not harbour fear of victimisation by their employers in taking up leadership roles in their respective unions. He suggested that, once elected to office, political groupings change the tune they had when in opposition.
Former Labour Minister Dr Nanda Kishore Gopaul said NAACIE is meeting at a time when the industry’s workers are facing challenges, especially in communities contiguous to the Wales Sugar Estate, which ceased operating in December last year. He said the rule of law and labour regulations are not being considered with estate closures, but insisted that laws covering terminated workers must be upheld.
“[For] those who have been denied the opportunities to earn benefits under labour legislation, the Termination of Employment and Severance Pay Act [notes] that if you decide to terminate the employment of workers on certain conditions, you have to pay them their benefits,” he stressed.
President of the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU), Komal Chand, offered that union’s felicitations, and highlighted that the theme for the NAACIE 2017conference: “Galvanizing Solidarity to Advance And Protect Workers’ Rights”, is timely, as agricultural workers are now contending with declining output and economy, several tax increases, and the closures of estates, with Enmore and Rose Hall being the two most recent.
“With the recently closed Wales Estate, some 9,000 workers stand to be affected by the Government’s and sugar company’s plans. That aside, thousands more will be touched and scores of communities will be negatively impacted,” Chand stressed.
Other unions present at the opening of that NAACIE conference offered congratulatory messages and reiterated their commitment to standing in solidarity with NAACIE in the fight to advocate for workers’ rights. Those unions included the Guyana Labour Union (GLU) and the Clerical and Commercial Workers Union (CCWU).
Minutes, financial and other reports relating to the NAACIE operations will be presented during the three-day conference; and elections for the senior positions of senior vice president, assistant general secretary and treasurer within that union will be held.
A minute’s silence was observed for late General Secretary Kenneth Joseph, who passed away earlier this year. The Conference will conclude on Saturday.
