The Guyana Trades Union Congress (GTUC) yesterday denied that it had received an $8 million grant in this year’s budget.
In a statement, the GTUC said that it rejected the Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Guyana (FITUG) “misinformation” that the GTUC had received the sum. “While FITUG finds the need to deceive in order to draw comparison to the $500, 000 it said the body has been granted, what it has kept away from the public is that under the PPP(/C) government they received millions even as the GTUC was denied. GTUC further notes that while the PPP sustained a split among the working class in furtherance of its divide and rule policies, this administration has legitimised a spilt that has no basis in universal acceptable principle,” the statement said.
In his August 10 budget presentation, Finance Minister Winston Jordan said that government had allocated $11 million in an effort to strengthen the capacity of local trade unions to better represent the rights of workers. “This amount is intended to augment approved in-country training programmes designed to enhance the performance of public servants, in an effort to ensure that the public service maintains a professional and productive work ethic in a constantly changing world,” he said.
In its statement, the GTUC said that it is a fallacy peddled by FITUG that the numerical strength of individual union (s) collectively constitute(s) the most representative in a federated association. “Such pronouncement is an act to deceive in order to dominate and be the sole determinant for all the people. On the universal principle of most-representative in federation/supervisory body such is based on most representative organisations of workers. This is a principle embraced by the International Labour Organisation which the unions in FITUG are aware of. FITUG has four unions in its federation. The GTUC has ten and by this principle is deemed the most representative. Clearly, some are not interested in creating a society where time-honoured principles, justice, fair play and equality are ensured for all,” the union declared.
According to the GTUC, it was a feature of the Jagdeo and Donald Ramotar administrations to practise the craft of might is right and must solely determine. “This has seen the bellicose pre-condition of the Jagdeo administration that for the GTUC to receive a State (subvention) it must give GAWU (Komal Chand) the presidency. Jagdeo was advised the GTUC’s elections rules are sacrosanct and nothing prevents any member from contesting, which the rules allow for. It is noteworthy that though this demand was made of the GTUC, no member of GAWU has been the president or general secretary of FITUG,” the GTUC said.
The union said that it firmly believes that no legal entity should be allowed to lapse, and had called for, and supports the establishment of the Trade Union Recognition Board immediately. It said that it subscribes to the Act stipulating “the Board shall consist of seven members, each appointed by the Minister after consultations with the most representative organisations of workers and the most representative organisations of employers; three members appointed by the Minister on the nomination of the most representative organisation of workers; three members appointed by the Minister on the nomination of the most representative organisation of employers.” The names of GTUC’s nominees, including its choice of chairman were submitted to Minister of Social Protection Volda Lawrence, the statement said. The submission of the names by the GTUC would suggest that only it is being consulted on the composition of the board and not FITUG.
