Noting the rising COVID-19 infections and deaths in Guyana, Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU) President Patrick Yarde has put the blame on government’s “naïve” approach to managing the spread of the virus.
“It is clear to the Guyana Public Service Union that the Government’s unenlightened approach to mitigate the impact of this deadly virus is contributing to the escalation of infections and increased death rate from the virus,” Yarde said in the union’s Labour Day message.
He added that the importation of vaccines and inoculation are not enough, while noting that throughout the world the virus is still spreading and killing citizens of many countries.
Yarde also accused the government of adopting a “ruthless stance” in dealing with front line workers, particularly front line health care workers. “The cost of living is skyrocketing and prices for necessary household commodities have escalated. The Administration refuses to respect workers’ right and engage in collective bargaining; refusing to pay risk allowance to front line workers that was agreed to in principle. They are pressuring and putting workers at risk; there is also political discrimination against workers and causing increased hardship and challenges to survive,” he added, while also alleging a collusion between the government and private sector to deny workers what is merited, deserving and outstanding.
According to Yarde, government after government continues to abuse workers’ rights. In 2015, he said, the promise was made to have inclusiveness and the restoration of collective bargaining by the APNU+AFC administration. “This promise was not honoured and impositions continued ruthlessly. In 2020 the PPP/C campaign promised to pay substantial increases to the public sector workers, so far that has gone with the wind…,” he lamented.
Yarde also highlighted the ongoing industrial dispute at the Linden Hospital Complex, where nurses have been seeking the removal of the Chief Executive Officer Rudolph Small over disparaging comments he made about them.
The union boss further charged that the nurses taking protest action in defence of their image and decency are being victimised as their “meagre salaries” have been reduced unlawfully to pressure and punish them. “This is the humiliation that they are subjected to,” he said before adding that the union will be opening a bank account specifically to deposit funds to economically assist those members financially that would be affected. He added that the union would be inviting all members and well-wishers who would like to contribute to do so.
Yarde said a major contribution to neglect of workers is the absence of inconclusiveness, the obstruction to their participation in management and the disregard of honouring of obligations under the International Labour Organization Conventions ratified by the Parliament. He underscored the need to mobilise now to confront the existing challenges and injustices in order to etch out a future that is built on fairness, justice and human rights. “As a public sector union, we recognise and are confident that we are integral to the foundation of a just and democratic society and that our fight is a fight for all. We must enhance our relationship, our militancy and solidarity to dislodge the political and executive assaults. We must obtain positive results on our outstanding grievances,” he further said, while noting the need for genuine working-class unity.
