Dear Editor,
It was brought to my attention late last year that Kenneth Joseph of NAACIE has been attacking me for months during his media engagements.I refrained from any response as I thought it could complicate GPL’s industrial relations climate as it’s hard to find something good to say about Kenneth Joseph and NAACIE.
As the attacks continued, increasing in viciousness, various media houses requested that I respond. I indicated that Mr Joseph could be reacting to the massive infrastructure work that GPL is executing and possible implications for a reduction in staff and hence amounts paid to his union.
Of course, Mr Joseph continued his attacks, calling for my dismissal. While he proffered no reason, he expected political support for his call and expected that I would be drawn into the political arena. His latest attack appeared in the Guyana Times of May 25th.
Just to clear the air on the comment I made in respect of when GPL will fulfil the Arbitration Tribunal ruling. I told the reporter that I had been out of office for nine days and that I was not briefed as yet as to when GPL would make either the pay-out or the amount it was costing us. I said further that considering that GPL would be paying salaries during the week if the preparation of the back pay was complete, I imagine it would be paid with the salary.
At the arbitration hearing Mr Joseph said that he stopped dealing with me after I refused to sign an agreement for an all-inclusive offer for 2009. I seriously doubt this is his only reason for the sustained attack. I will proceed to explain what I think are some of the real reasons.
Right-sizing and GPL’s
infrastructure development
It is expected that as GPL develops, it would have to concomitantly right-size its staff structure which was largely based on 1970s thinking, equipment and techniques. In 2007, GPL engaged NAACIE on a restructuring of its T&D Department. We engaged the union over seven months on the reasons for the restructuring and the methodology to be employed. When the process was completed in 2008 almost 180 positions were made redundant (about 45% of the original complement).
In 2009, considering that the company was expecting its new 20.7MW plant at Kingston to achieve commercial operation, the union was engaged again in a restructuring of the Generation Department. This exercise was completed in 2010 and resulted in 78 positions being made redundant and 43 positions being reclassified.
Now that GPL expects major T&D, control and generation projects to be completed within the next nine months, it has already written NAACIE to advise of restructuring. These transformative projects will result in significant changes to our staff structure. New skills will be required while some existing positions will be made redundant. As expected, Mr Joseph sees his membership under threat, and he knows only one response, attack.
It would normally be hard to believe that my removal from GPL would result in the major infrastructure works coming to a halt or that having completed them, no adjustments would be made to the company’s staff structure.
Corruption
It’s common knowledge that GPL has a problem with corruption and other acts inimical to the best interest of the company, including unauthorized removal of company property. The company has taken a consistently strong stance against everyone involved in these activities.
Mr Joseph has however taken the opposite position of management and has consistently used all sorts or shenanigans to frustrate action against members of NAACIE. He says he is not recognizing our Loss Reduction Division that is tasked with investigating illegal acts. Members who are caught committing illegal acts are asked to refuse to cooperate with our Loss Reduction investigators. Threats of industrial action are routine, intended to derail investigations. Where the company has completed its disciplinary process, it’s promptly taken to conciliation and in some cases arbitration. In a number of cases after dragging out the conciliation process for well over a year, the union would abruptly abandon the matter.
Management continues to maintain its strong stance and more NAACIE members have been dismissed for illegal acts from 2006 to present than any previous period in GPL or GEC. Again, my removal would not change GPL’s posture.
Refusal to sign 2009 agreement
In negotiating the 2008 wages and salaries increases, GPL offered NAACIE an all-inclusive 6%. Mr Joseph, in consultation with his representatives, agreed that the all-inclusive 6% would be accepted but it should be paid across the board. Since there was only one business day left before Christmas, I elected to instruct staff to immediately begin preparation of the payroll while awaiting the typed agreement. The agreement was sent the same day to NAACIE but Mr Joseph waited until the pay-out was completed to reject the agreement. Suddenly he had a different definition for all-inclusive.
In 2009, he was attempting the same stunt. I promptly refused to sign the agreement unless it explicitly stated that the 6% all-inclusive offered was the full and final settlement for all demands for increases in wages and salaries for the year. The agreement, excluding this statement, was executed on GPL’s behalf and in 2010 NAACIE promptly insisted that the arbitration TOR included that the 6% all-inclusive offer accepted for 2009 and previous years could not have included the Annual Performance Incentive element.
Recent arbitration ruling
Mr Joseph in his statement to the media at the presentation of the Arbitration Tribunal ruling would have said that his union is vindicated in that the Clauses 2 & 3 of the 2001 CLA are still in force. Clause 2 deals with an automatic annual increment of 3% while Clause 3 deals with the Annual Performance Incentive of 0 to 10%.
Mr Joseph is aware that he cannot demand the automatic 3% in-scale increase for 2013 but is attempting to mislead both his members and the public. He would expect some protection from management when NAACIE members decide to vent their ire.
Conclusion
GPL’s development will continue; the services it offers to the majority of Guyanese will improve. The staff structure of the company will change over time and will be heavily influenced by development and the need to constantly improve customer service. Mr Joseph and NAACIE will continue to fight against any development that may impact them financially. They think the interest of GPL and the nation should be subordinated to that of Mr Joseph. We would continue to hear their calls for the removal of the CEO.
Yours faithfully,
Bharat Dindyal
Chief Executive Officer
GPL
