– cites ongoing rift in labour movement

The Clerical and Commercial Workers Union (CCWU) will not be participating in rallies organized by the Federation of International Trade Unions of Guyana (FITUG) or the Guyana Trades Union Congress (GTUC) on May Day.

According to a release from the CCWU, letters have been dispatched to both bodies advising them of its decision which was taken at a meeting held by its Executive Committee on Thursday, April 24. Reasons for its non-participation have been included in the letters. The CCWU said that a united trade union rally on May Day would be a step in the right direction. However, it added that after speaking with officials of both bodies recently it realized that this was impossible at the moment.

The CCWU said it is seriously concerned about the continuing division which exists within the trade union movement and has expressed its disgust to both bodies. This is undermining the solidarity of workers, the release stated, and the CCWU believes this division has provided employers with an opportunity to exploit workers.

The release further stated that efforts to mend the division between the two bodies, namely through the efforts of the General Secretary of the Barbados Workers’ Union, Sir Roy Trotman and former General Secretary of the Caribbean Congress of Labour, George DePeana, also a former General Secretary of the CCWU, have failed.

The CCWU said a solution must be found to bridge the divide in the interest of workers and expressed hope that things will change in a year’s time.