-Yarde

President of the Guyana Public Service Union Patrick Yarde, in his May Day message, stated that national unity is imperative if Guyana is to advance socially, economically and politically.

Yarde stated that among the current problems facing the GPSU, “is the failure to be recognised and treated as the authentic representative of public service employees,” which he said is demonstrated in the exclusion of the Union from membership of the Public Service Commis-sion.

Further, Yarde stated that failure to appoint the Public Service Appellate Tribunal, failure to adhere to the International Labour Organisations and failure to adhere to legally binding Collective Labour Agreements, among other things, were among other problems the Union encountered.

Further, Yarde pointed out that the displacement of traditional public servants by contract employees who are coerced to not join unions was in conflict with the constitutional right of freedom. Also highlighted was the failure to adhere to non-discriminatory practices in the employment and promotion and appointment of personnel.

These challenges, Yarde said, “require a disciplined and unified effort from all ranks of leadership and membership of the Union.

Yarde quoted Martin Luther King, who said we must learn to live together or perish together as fools noting that it had relevance to the existing state of affairs the “trade union movement has found itself and should be borne n mind on this May Day.”