Dear Editor,
Please permit me, after days of silence and serious reflection to express my feelings which are supported by my union on the financial condition of the members of the union at this moment.
It has been many months since the last imposition of wages/salaries in the Public Corporations and Public Sector was done. The members of NAACIE and I, are aware that like us, others have had to be living with wages imposed since January 1, 2014 while the price of goods and services continues to escalate. I am sure that some of my union’s members would not have expected this to be the result of the expression of our franchise in May 2015.
In Guysuco, the Union and workers are still awaiting the result of the Government’s decision after a study of the Commission of Inquiry (COI) report, before the Corporation is prepared to negotiate. We must remember that one of the promises of this Government is the cessation of the imposition of wages/salaries and the return of the right to negotiate by unions. So far, the Public Service has been assisted by a 5% increase until the result of their negotiations of salaries for 2015 is completed in keeping with that same promise.
Sad however, that no other employees in this bracket, some of which include sugar workers, will be allowed to negotiate for an increase of salary when the COI is completed and for GPL when a new Board is in place. Of course we have to hope that this arrangement is only for 2015. The recent Ministerial wages/salaries increase though apparently monumental is encouraging, especially when the Union is aware that Guyana is advertised as a low income earning country and members of the last Government had been courting investments based on this presumption. This new administration I hope is encouraging a different approach.
This unusual increase will give workers and Unions an opportunity to struggle for better payment and they can depend on the Government for support. Editor, I know that GPL at one time was in a healthy position and with the reduction of the price for fuel, is, in a far better position to negotiate a better package for workers. I remember the excuse that the cost of fuel caused them not to be in a position to make increases.
Also, bauxite being just there, according to the Finance Minister, can sustain a reasonable increase. There was a time when rice was doing exceedingly well but now it is in crisis. Should this industry be closed or, would there be a COI. Gold production I think needs a COI but not forensic as yet unless we are looking at safety and health standards.
Finally, I would like to see the fear and anxiety from business, banks and families be reduced in the sugar sector. For the sugar industry my advice is that this fear and political battle is also a reason (and has been reason for a long time) for the inefficiencies and poor quality of sugar production and the COI.
Yours faithfully,
Kenneth Joseph
General Secretary
NAACIE
