Dear Editor,

In a letter appearing in Stabroek News (SN) December 19, 2009 captioned ‘No meeting on December 15’ in response to SN article on December 10, 2009, I observed that Mr Yoganand Persaud, Chief Labour Officer, did not deny the presence of any official of the Guyana Bauxite & General Workers Union (GB&GWU) on Tuesday December 15 at the ministry. I deliberately visited the Ministry of Labour and delivered a copy of a letter the union sent to the Bauxite Company Guyana Inc (BCGI) to the Chief Labour Officer.

I turned up at the ministry not merely to deliver a letter, but to be there in the event of a meeting being conducted between the parties.

Prior to coming to Georgetown, on December 14, I spoke to Mr Persaud via telephone in relation to the scheduled meeting the union learnt of via SN December 10, and was advised that he had to speak with the Assistant Chief Labour Officer and get back to me. Notwithstanding this I turned up at the ministry on December 15.

The Ministry of Labour is the state’s entity which has responsibility for protecting the labour laws of Guyana and conciliating in labour disputes. For the ministry to communicate to this nation via the public media that there will be a meeting between the parties (GB&GWU and BCGI) under its chairmanship on Tuesday, December 15, fully aware that no arrangement has been put in place for such a meeting is unacceptable.

The union stands ready to address issues pertaining to the strike and the forcing of workers to sign forms to cease membership in the union.

The Ministry of Labour must hold BCGI accountable for respecting the laws of Guyana and any disregard for efforts which may have been made by the ministry to convene a meeting.  GB&GWU remains strong and committed and is prepared to take its case to every forum where justice will and must eventually prevail. The laws of this country are sacrosanct; the time-honoured principles of our industrial relations culture must be respected, and this union will continue to struggle until this is achieved.

Yours faithfully,
Charles Sampson
President General
GB&GWU