– GTUC still to name nominee
Labour Minister Manzoor Nadir yesterday announced the appointment of a reconstituted Trade Union Recognition and Certification Board as well as the National Tripartite Committee.
Justice Prem Persaud was reappointed as Chairman of the Board, which also includes Samuel Goolsarran, Taajnauth Jadunauth and Charlene Parris Sinclair of the Consultative Association of Guyanese Industry (CAGI); Seepaul Narine and Carvil Duncan of the Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Guyana (FITUG); and a yet to be named member of the Guyana Trade Unions Congress (GTUC), which opposed the new system for recognition for appointment to the board, accusing the government of seeking to control the labour movement.
Previously the board only comprised representatives of CAGI and the GTUC. The inclusion of FITUG is the result of an amendment to the Trade Union Recognition Act, which now provides for “the most representative” organisations of workers and employers to be consulted by the labour minister for the appointments of members of the board. As a result of the amendment, the most representative organisation of workers and employers will also have to be consulted in the board’s making of its rules instead of the most representative association of trade unions and employers. The passage of the amendment was boycotted by the parliamentary opposition parties, which had tried unsuccessfully to secure a deferral to allow for consultation with the GTUC.
The GTUC subsequently announced it would oppose the changes vigorously, proposing possible pro-tests, demonstrations, picketing, strikes, go-slow, civil disobedience and boycotts, none of which has been done.
Nadir told Stabroek News yesterday that GTUC representatives had indicated that it was ready to name its nominees after a meeting held last Wednesday and as a result places have been left available for those representatives.
Nadir has argued that changes are intended to strengthen the hand of workers in terms of their rights and representation, correcting a fundamental flaw that allowed the organisation that has the largest amount of trade union affiliates to make nominations to the board. He has noted that ILO conventions and tripartite consultations refer to “the most representative” organisation of workers and the bill seeks to adopt the standard.
The minister has said that of the approximately 250,000 workers who make up the labour force, roughly 20% or 50,000 are unionised, with FITUG–which comprises GAWU, NAACIE, CCWU and the GLU–accounting for a registered membership of 34,000 against the GTUC that comprises 13 unions with a membership of 15,000. He based the figures on statistics provided by the registrar of unions as well as the auditor general’s office.
In its years of rivalry with the GTUC, FITUG has argued that it represents more workers. It has said that the GTUC roll is padded with paper unions.
Meanwhile, acting GTUC General Secretary Norris Witter yesterday reiterated that the government’s action is no different from similar moves in 1953, when the PPP was accused by the British government of seeking to attempt to control the labour movement. He maintained that the government’s actions were “dictatorial” and “arbitrary,” adding that it was attempting to control every aspect of national life.
He said the GTUC would issue a formal response to the announcement on Wednesday, but added that the appointment of the board signals that the government has embarked on a course that would lead to the total wrecking of the country. “We are not going to respond to the whims, fancies and caprices of a state ruled by a set of dictators,” Witter said when asked why the GTUC has yet to name a nominee, adding that that the government has no respect for rule of law, human rights, workers’ rights or citizens’ rights. “We are not obliged to dialogue or respond. We will deal with them at the appropriate time. It is not far off,” he added.
Meanwhile, the National Tripartite Committee comprises James Morgan, Samuel Goosarran, Bibi Ramchand, Techla Gonsalves, Ramnarayan Rupan and Laleita Sivanand from CAGI; Premchand Dass, Kenneth Joseph, Carvil Duncan and Grantley Culbard from FITUG; Minister Nadir, Human Services Minister Priya Manickchand, Chief Labour Officer Yoganand Persaud, Dr Nanda Gopaul and Doreen Nelson from the government; and two nominees to be named by the GTUC. Like the board, the committee had previously only comprised the representatives of CAGI, the GTUC and the government.
