GTUC in solidarity with teachers union over planned strike

The Guyana Trades Union Congress (GTUC) has decried what it sees as the government’s refusal to engage with the Guyana Teachers Union (GTU) and declared that it will stand with the union until their rights are recognised.

In a release on Friday, the GTUC stated its intention to stand in solidarity with the GTU in its struggle for equal treatment for teachers under the Constitution and Laws of Guyana and its decision to take industrial action come Monday, February 5.

It made it clear that it was holding the People’s Progressive Party/Civic government accountable for creating “a bad industrial relations climate” by its “discriminatory management that sees the continuous violation of laws and transgressing of the rights of some workers.”

The GTUC referred to Article 147 of the Constitution, which it notes, not only protects workers’ right to join a trade union of choice and engage in collective bargaining with the employer, but also the right to strike. “These rights are enshrined in International Labour Conventions and it is important to note, the right to strike is particularly exercised when workers grievances are ignored by the employer.”

It reminded that the Irfaan Ali administration had more than three years to engage the GTU who submitted a Proposal on Wage/Salaries and Working Conditions in August 2020. It further accused the government of ignoring the union, while only recently, making public their plan to engage unions in the sugar belt to address issues of wages/salaries and working conditions.

Referring to this “disparity in treatment,” the GTUC contended that this is part of the PPP’s contempt for sections of the work force, “a stance which the GTUC will not countenance.” Mention was made of repeated efforts by the GTU to have its proposal addressed that have not only been rebuffed, but teachers have had to face various insults, threats, intimidation and so-called entreaties by the government.

These actions, the release notes, violate Section 23 (1) of the Trade Union Recognition Act which expressly states:

“Where a trade union obtains a certificate of recognition for workers comprised in a bargaining unit in accordance with this Part, the employer shall recognize the union, and the union and the employer shall bargain in good faith and enter into negotiations with each other for the purpose of collective bargaining.”

As such, the GTUC calls on the teachers to support their union’s struggle, while reminding, “For in unity there is strength.” It also supports the GTU taking all necessary action to safeguard and defend teachers’ rights which are protected by international conventions and local laws.

The release then proceeded to deal with the disparity in the way the GTU was treated versus the unions representing sugar workers. It reminded that the Constitution and Labour Laws are applicable to all unionised workers, not some and these same laws never stipulated some are more equal than some, which it accused the PPP of communicating to the nation. It emphasised that the issue is not about how much the administration claimed to have paid some teachers or any other excuse but about respecting teachers’ right to collective bargaining.

The GTUC opined that Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo was attempting to dissuade the nation’s public school teachers by referencing what he considers efforts by the regime to remunerate teachers better. It described such action as “an insult to persons’ intelligence and open contempt for the rights of some Guyanese,” noting that if the government was against teachers taking industrial action, then it must move with alacrity to resolve the three-plusyear-old grievances.

The union also condemned the government’s attempts

to paint the GTU General Secretary Coretta McDonald as a scapegoat and reminded that like McDonald, Seepaul Narine, the president of the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU), is also a Member of Parliament. But whereas McDonald is on the Opposition side, Narine is on the Government side.

Further, GAWU is to meet with the government shortly to address the welfare of sugar workers, consistent with the right to collective bargaining. “GAWU is not superior to the GTU. To meet with GAWU and refuse to meet with the GTU represents another flagrant violation of the law and transgression of the rights of some workers.”

The release posited that the nation can afford to treat its teachers better and must do so by first respecting the right of public school teachers to collective bargaining as they demand and deserve no less a treatment and respect as citizens of this land.

In its assessment of the ongoing issue, GTUC suggested that Labour Minister Joe Hamilton, instead of threatening the workers not to strike, should have activated his responsibility as a conciliator under the labour laws and brought the parties to the table the past three plus years.

And Education Minister, Priya Manickchand, rather than asking teachers not to take industrial action should have used her cabinet portfolio to insist the government meet with the GTU or assert her role as the responsible ministry and come to the bargaining table with the teachers.

Article 147 of the Constitution of Guyana and Section 23(1) of the Trade Union Recognition Act, the union body asserted, therefore must be activated for the teachers, public sector workers and all unionised workers of Guyana equally, as these instruments are activated for sugar workers.

“This nation has had enough of the PPP’s discriminatory practices towards some sections of the Guyanese community and workforce. Enough is Enough!” the release added.