Embrace the right to collective bargaining as provided to us, citizens in the constitution
CRG supports the Guyana Teachers’ Union‘s right to collective bargaining and encourages our fellow Guyanese to embrace the rights provided to all citizens as stated in the Constitution. The following sections of our Constitution have been provided to ensure clarity on the issues before us. According to the Constitution of Guyana:
21. Role of labour
The source of the growth of social wealth and of the well-being of the people, and of each individual, is the labour of the people. This section highlights the importance of all workers in our society.
22. The right and the duty to work
(1) Every citizen has the right to be rewarded according to the nature, quality and quantity of his or her work, to equal pay for equal work or work of equal value, and to just conditions of work. This section supports the call for “equal pay for equal work”. No government has the right to change what is guaranteed in the constitution without Parliament approving an amendment to the constitution.
27. Right to education
(1) Every citizen has the right to free education from nursery to university as well as at non-formal places where opportunities are provided for education and training. This section ensures that all citizens have a right to free education “from nursery to university”. This means that the University of Guyana must be free of charge and no government has the right to charge our citizens for education without Parliament approving an amendment to the constitution.
147. Protection of freedom of assembly, association and demonstration
(1) Except with his or her own consent, no person shall be hindered in the enjoyment of his or her freedom of assembly, association and freedom to demonstrate peacefully, that is to say, his or her right to assemble freely, to demonstrate peacefully and to associate with other persons and in particular to form or belong to political parties, trade unions or other associations for the protection of his or her interests. This section speaks to the legality of a union’s right to demonstrate peacefully “for the protection of his or her interests” or in this case, for the interests of the union’s members. This makes it legal for the GTU to demonstrate.
149C. Right to participate in decisionmaking processes of the State
No person shall be hindered in the enjoyment of participating through cooperatives, trade unions, civic or socioeconomic organisations of a national character, in the management and decisionmaking processes of the State. This section of the constitution guarantees the GTU the right to participate “in the management and decision making processes of the State”. It is unfortunate that the keepers of the constitution have overlooked the importance of the rights guaranteed in this section. CRG encourages the current administration and Parliament to revisit these sections of the constitution and to ensure that our government is in compliance with the laws and rights that have been outlined in its content. Our government’s objective should be the betterment of our citizens. Inclusion of those affected in the decision-making process is essential for our democracy to thrive. This right of participation becomes even more important when the decisions being made will affect an organized group of workers / Union on a national level.
Sincerely,
Jamil Changlee
Chairman
The Cooperative Republicans of Guyana