Dear Editor,
The GAWU has been actively following the latest chapter in the struggles of the workers of BCGI to be treated with respect and for their rights to be acknowledged. Our Union has recognised several remarks by officials of the workers’ union expressing dim views about the action/s of the Ministry of Social Protection and more so, Minister Keith Scott. The GAWU also saw, according to a January 30 Demerara Waves report, that Minister Scott announced that the Company has been summoned by the Ministry to account for its actions.
According to the report, the Minister is quoted as saying that the Company did “not properly notified us [the Ministry]” and the Union about its decision. Indeed, the Termination of Employment and Severance Pay Act (TESPA) has outlined very clearly the procedure an employer must adopt in instances of making workers redundant. Quite clearly, based on statements from the workers’ union, that procedure has been disregarded. We agree with sentiments from the Union that we should not allow the workers’ rights to be transgressed and our laws violated”.
While we will continue to pay keen attention to the unfolding situation, we cannot fail to recognise that like in the instance of the BCGI workers, the Ministry is also failing in its responsibilities to safeguard the rights of other sections of the Guyanese working-class. Earlier this year, the GAWU by a letter which was copied to Minister Scott drew his attention to an almost identical practice to employees by an enterprise where our Union enjoys bargaining rights.
In our correspondence, we sought the Ministry’s assistance to arrest the situation and to ensure that the law was followed. We did not even receive an acknowledgement from Minister Scott or even the Chief Labour, Occupational Safety and Health Officer.
A few days ago, among other things, we drew the matter to the attention of the senior Minister of Social Protection, Amna Ally. We are waiting to hear from Minister Ally.
In the meantime, the Union, on its own, given the silence from the Ministry, has been forced to pursue a certain course of action. We find it dismaying that though workers’ rights are enshrined in our statutes, workers and their organisations must still go to extraordinary lengths to receive the respect they deserve. Indeed, it appears that the workers of Guyana can have very little confidence in Minister Scott, who holds a critical post in the Administration.
Yours faithfully,
Seepaul Narine
General Secretary
GAWU
