Dear Editor,

Permit me to comment on some issues in the article ‘Labour…Drifting further apart,’ Guyana Review (February 25). In many countries there are multiple trade union federations, but they do not have the problems that plague Guyana. The alleged internal problems of the Guyana Trades Union Congress (TUC) are no excuse for the government mistreatment of the federation, the Critchlow Labour College, bauxite workers and public servants. The government anti-union behaviour to some unions is contrary to the PPP professed working class ideology.

The first breakaway in the 1980s from the TUC to form the Federation of Independent Trade Unions (FITUG) was the result of differences between the unions in FITUG and the TUC on allegations of government interference and the composition of the Executive Council. Even then FITUG unions were not isolated, ignored or targeted for destruction by the Desmond Hoyte government. The Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union was led by Dr Cheddi Jagan and affiliated to FITUG, but whenever required Mr Joseph Pollydore, General Secretary of the TUC, signed letters allowing GAWU to get duty-free concessions for motor bikes for their field officers. The bauxite unions in the 1980s struck and negotiated tax-free overtime pay, and that benefit was automatically granted to sugar workers by Mr Hoyte. At that time Dr Nanda Gopaul, Mr Komal Chand and Mr Donald Ramotar were leading members in NAACIE and GAWU, so they know what I am talking about. It is most disappointing to now see how they no longer care about workers’ rights and labour’s independence that they fought for in the 1980s.

The second breakaway in the 1990s from the TUC and the reformation of FITUG came with the 1999 public service strike, when GAWU and NAACIE took the side of the government. This breakaway became a first in the sense that the unions became divided on a matter that would normally see them united. The government encouraged a new FITUG which it has since been rewarding with money and also giving money to the affiliated unions. Then it went after the GTUC and took away its subvention and that of the Critchlow Labour College. In the Public Service Union the agency shop deduction was stopped by the government and new entrants to the sector are contract workers, which is another strategy to weaken the union financially and numerically.

I have written before about the crossroads at which labour finds itself, and my disappointment with the government attitude to the industrial problem between the bauxite company and the bauxite union.  Dr Gopaul, Mr Ramotar and Mr Chand have important positions in government and should never allow these wrongs to happen to any union. They can share many first-hand experiences of solidarity given to them by the bauxite and public sector unions and the TUC during the 1970s and 1980s. These men can talk to President Jagdeo and Minister Nadir about their anti-union tactics. They used to tell President Burnham and President Hoyte.

Yours faithfully,
Dindial Naipaul