The Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU) President Patrick Yarde has said that successive “incompetent” ministers of Labour have continued to disregard the rights of both workers and trade unions, thus creating conflicts.
“The manifestation of total disregard for Trade Unions and the rights of workers by consecutive appointments of incompetent Ministers of Labour, in the forms of Keith Scott and Joseph Hamilton, both of whom lack knowledge about the responsibilities of the Ministry of Labour and therefore lost themselves in a political abyss, with the penchant of disinterest in the rights of workers,” Yarde said in his Labour Day message, which was released on Saturday.
Scott served as minister under the former APNU+AFC government, while Hamilton is the present Labour Minister.
“This [disrespect of workers and unions] is compounded by Mr. Hamilton’s statement that Trade Unions are irrelevant and [he] was notably absent from the Wreath Laying Ceremony for Critchlow which was the first in the history of the country. The unlawful discriminatory acts and abuses, including acts of executive lawlessness and illegal political conduct, must and will be challenged by the GPSU, not only because they are impediments to racial harmony, but majorly, a firm stance must be taken to herald in good governance in Guyana,” the statement read.
He accused the government of employing discriminatory practices as well as violating the constitution and various agreements that have been ratified to protect the rights of workers.
Yarde said the discrimination and victimization have taken many forms, identifying the non-renewal of employment contracts of senior ranking persons based on perceived political affiliation, political supersession, violation of workers’ rights by acting in conflict with the constitution, Labour Laws, ILO Conventions, and legally binding Collective Labour Agreements (CLA), and payment of poverty wages, among other things.
He said that the government’s November 2021 imposition of a 7% salary increase for public servants shows that it is not interested in dialogue.
“…for its failure to utilize the collective bargaining process, over the one and one-half years in office, the Government proffered another barefaced act of misrepresentation to the peoples of Guyana by claiming that time did not permit them to do so, as though Government had the discretion to determine to, or not to, observe the rule of law.
“In fact, Government’s scant regard for the rule of law saw them pandering to their political constituents and squandering public resources on political gimmicks, that made no impact on the pain and suffering of the masses, which of course included the Public Servants that suffered throughout the years 2020 and 2021 without any meaningful cushion to the severe economic impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic and skyrocketing costs,” Yarde noted in his statement.
He accused the government of frustrating all efforts to sit lawfully, professionally and decently with the GPSU to deal with matters relating to increases in wages and salaries.
“While frustrating the Union’s attempts to jumpstart the Collective Bargaining process, Government was simultaneously attempting to undermine the Union by compromising workers’ rights and making them vulnerable. The true character of the regime’s disregard for democracy, the Constitution and Laws of Guyana became more pellucid, even with false claims of having working-class credentials,” he added.
He also called on the government to act in accordance with the laws while urging public servants to convey their “displeasures and rejection of the consistent abuses.”
“To correct the injustices meted out, the GPSU must consolidate its efforts through a unified front to challenge the sources of these discriminatory acts, so as to lay bare the obstacles to fairness, justice and human rights. The GPSU is confident that with the use of new technology to efficiently and effectively communicate and mobilise, the GPSU in time, through militancy and solidarity, will advance its cause and prove effective in dislodging the Executive’s political assaults on the pillars of good governance and the rights of the Nation, which of course includes Public Servants, their families and friends,” Yarde’s statement added.
