This is brevity today. I promise. But every ten months or so I find reasonable cause to comment on our local trade unionism.
Like my childhood association with the Police Force, I have had some acquaintance with local trade unions. How vividly I recall the role – and militancy – of the (anti-PPP) government unions during the famous 1963 eighty-day general strike. (I think it was a tax measure or the Labour Relations Bill which ignited wholesale “industrial action”.) As a young teacher my Guyana Teachers Association (GTA) shared out welcome strike relief to assist in sustaining the resolve of those who opted to stay off the job. Vigorous meetings and rallies were held; relationships were spawned; unions were “admired”.
Later I realized that anti-Jagan forces – many foreign – were instrumental in that strike; relevant to the “strike-relief-food” too!
Later still, I had some association with the Public Service Union (GPSU) where Mr Patrick Yarde – not unlike a few other union leaders – seems to be president–for-life! I still chat up many current union leaders and had more than a passing acquaintance with the still-giant GAWU and also NAACIE. H.N. Critchlow remains one of my personal National Heroes and I still hold in (various degrees of) esteem the likes of Ishmael, Jackson, Blair, Verbeke, Edun, Chase, Cambridge, etc, etc, etc.
So why my recourse to such a theme again today? It has to do with Lincoln Lewis and the Russians, the Granger Administration seeming strategy regarding our labour movement – and response from three, four trade unions.
New government, old technique?
First–though rest assured that I’ve read up, over years, on local trade union history. Ashton Chase’s seminal work was but one source. But I prefer to keep it simple.
Those interested, or concerned, know well that our current Constitution’s Article 147 okays the establishment, role and freedom of trade unions. Like I do, they also know how well Forbes Burnham emasculated many unions, followed by young Bharrat who virtually outdid Forbes in making unions and collective bargaining irrelevant in this land.
Then guess what! Lo and behold, watchdog Lincoln or no Lincoln, the APNU+AFC Finance Minister, Mr Jordan, in his budget 2015 programme, allocated $11 million, “in an effort to strengthen the capacity of local trade unions to better represent the rights of workers”.
I have to remind that he did single out training for his government’s own workers. However that gesture – the allocation – should foster better government – labour movement relations. But is it in action?
Quickly the Granger–Coalition honeymoon seems over. Slowly – hopefully not surely – we are beginning to see some deju-vu PPP characteristics. In the labour movement the FITUG group of thousands dislike the method used to allocate seats on the recognition board; even to dole out the $11 million.
Scan the media: Unions representing the teachers, public servants, bauxite workers are impatient and displeased. For whilst signs of collective bargaining appear on the industrial horizon President Granger and Mr Jordan have effectively pre-empted that “bargaining.”
Somehow though I feel that the unions are going to use this relatively new “accommodation” to regain lawful, persuasive militancy. And though this administration seems to have related more to military men then to unionists, I suspect that it will “collaborate” more justly with the working-class reps. Not merely about wages. But non-salary benefit and conditions.
It’s for the unions too, to get their acts together. As in Jamaica, get into economic ventures, buying clubs, health schemes, even banking trade union democracy must be seen to be in action.
Lincoln, the Russians, investment
Veteran Trade Unionist, “friend of the Constitution” and General Secretary of both the Trades Union Congress (TUC) and the Guyana Bauxite and General Workers Union (GBGWU) Lincoln Lewis, has been aggressively vocal against the “inaction” of government to act against the (alleged) violations of bauxite workers right by the Bauxite Company of Guyana. Forget that “Guyana”. Only the bauxite ore is in Guyana, the Company is Russian (Rusal?).
Mr Lewis has been consistent with this issue for years. Both Chinese- and Russian-owned companies are accused of thumbing their noses at our laws and workers in the punishing extractive industries.
Of course this disrespect, this industrial injustice began – and prospered (?)- under the previous regime(s). So Lincoln probably had reason to believe that a mighty “change was gonna come”.
I suppose when you see foreign investment and overseas aid through governmental lenses, perspectives change- Radically.
Recall, the frankly–speaking spokesman Minister Harmon talking about Chinese investment and aid here, when he “explained” why he moved to reclaim the vehicles the Revenue Authority had reclaimed from some Chinese dudes?
I know that Unionist Lincoln will find a way to secure long-delayed fairness for his Region Ten fellows. But he needs more solidarity.
Just think…
Name all members of Guyana’s Rio Olympics team.
Besides President Granger, which of these coalition Ministers get their photographs in the print media, the most: Joe Harmon, Winston Jordan, George Norton, and Raphael Trotman?
Acquire the old, abandoned Co-op Bank Building at Stabroek and convert into a proper vendors mall.
`Til next week
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