Guyana Power and Light Inc (GPL) workers have been put on notice to be ready to struggle to avoid the imposition of wage increases due to the company’s continual refusal to negotiate jointly with the two workers’ unions.
The National Association of Agricultural, Commercial and Industrial Employees (NAACIE) yesterday said it was invited to a meeting with GPL but the company refused to speak with the union’s representatives due to the presence of members of the Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU), who were there in an advisory capacity.
“The workers of the GPL must be prepared to struggle to avoid the imposition of wages in the company. It must be seen as a NO NO. If this is encouraged then workers must not be surprised when other conditions of work agreed on will no longer be available and new imposed conditions will be the order of the day,” NAACIE said in a statement.
At the start of last month, NAACIE and the GPSU threatened industrial action over the company’s refusal over the past year to meet with them jointly to negotiate wages and better working conditions.
NAACIE represents the junior and senior staff, while GPSU represents the junior and senior management staff.
In a joint letter to Labour Minister Dr Nanda Gopaul, dated October 30, 2014, the unions had said they would have “no other alternative” but to take industrial action if the company refuses to negotiate with them collectively and that this position had been communicated to GPL’s Divisional Director of Human Resources Bal Parsaud.
“We will be forced to take whatever action we feel necessary according to the Act which could include but [is] not limited to taking strike action,” they said, while noting that action would be taken, in keeping with the provisions of Public Utility Undertakings and Public Health Services Act, should GPL refuse to negotiate with them no later than 31 days after the date of the letter.
