The time has come for labour to once again be independent

May 16, 2008 Letters

Dear Editor,

It is important that as the President of the GTUC I do not allow recent comments expressed in the media by various sectors of society to go unnoticed.

To do so will be a failure on my part to effectively represent those persons of my constituency who have supported and embraced all efforts to bring an end to the outright victimization of workers in our country.
It seems to be an emerging trend by those who indulge in self-aggrandizement and hypocrisy to try to divert the attention of the workers from the real issues that confront us by highlighting frivolous and irrelevant events on Labour Day.

Echoes of sentimental concern with regards to the assumed unethical behaviour of workers towards the Prime Minister Mr. Samuel Hinds on his arrival at the GTUC May Day Rally and the unsupportive actions by the leaders inclusive of myself to quell the situation, by some trade unionists are nothing but fruitless efforts to be anointed Arch angles of the labour movement.
Labour Day from its inception belongs to the workers and it is in recent times the only day that we have to freely express our feelings of frustration without fear of chastisement from the oppressors. To prohibit this fundamental right is to endorse the system of constitutional labour enslavement of a nation’s most precious resources.

The GTUC rally was addressed by persons who represented without blemish the wide cross section of our country’s workers. It is therefore an insult to all citizens for FITUG to state that the GTUC leadership adorned its May Day platform with non-workers’ representatives.

The unnecessary raucous being made by those of my colleagues who seek to use hypocritical means to garner favouritism is not only baseless and without merit but an act of one’s folly since the proposed victim (The Hon. Prime Minister) himself later that day in the presence of others at the GPTWU hall noted that it was only a democratic demonstration and an experience for him.
Further, the accusations leveled that myself and other officers of the GTUC did nothing to appease the situation highlights the depth to which some persons are willing to go so as to maintain their presumed highly favoured positions and relationships.

This is a signal that those of the old guard need to get real and awake from the coma in which they lie, to come out of their comfort zones of labour luxury and enter the real world and rescue those whom we are mandated to, and have vowed to represent.

History has proven that for too long the trade union movement has leaned and nursed off of the strength of the political pundits of our country.

The time has come for labour to once again be independent to speak with its own voice. We must not allow ourselves to be muzzled and silenced in return for political grants, financial aid and personal favours. These have proven to be detrimental before.

As trade unionists we have a responsibility to represent and protect the rights of all persons inclusive of the self employed, housewives, the unemployed, marginalised, victimized, oppressed, workers past, present and future.

All Guyana is now embodied in the gross suffering and battle for survival. The cost of living has become a hell trap into the womb of starvation.

The struggle of the labour movement from its inception in 1905 was born out of the workers rejection of high cost of living, low wages and oppression by the Administration. Therefore today’s protests are no different from the genesis of labour’s agenda.

The workers of Guyana are desperate for relief not tomorrow, not next week, not next month but now. A five percent increase and $4000 allowance for some is an insult to all Public Servants. The reality is that we are now trapped in a gruesome battle for survival.

The spin offs of this crisis is beyond imagination. It will take in depth and very serious consultations to cushion the effects of Guyana’s economic plight.

The entire trade union movement has a huge task ahead of it. We speak about unity; let us stop mimicking with the survival of our people. Let us not forget that desperate people do desperate things and desperate situations call for desperate measures. We must therefore be true trade unionists and stop being Mickey Mouse, puppets and lap dancers of the cause.

Critchlow’s attribute was to defend the cause of humanity. For once trade unionists must protect the principles of this distinguished and humanitarian profession.

Gillian Burton
President – GTUC

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The time has come for labour to once again be independent

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