Disgruntled ‘half-day cleaners’ protest for their pay increase

Jan 21, 2018 News

More than two dozen ‘half-day cleaners’ in Linden on Tuesday expressed their dissatisfaction and disgruntlement over several issues facing them, including poor working conditions and no increase in salaries.
Regional Chairman, Rennis Morian, in an invited comment on the issue of the cleaners, said, “The RDC supports eight-hour work and will pursue this at all levels. ..that our cleaners in Upper Demerara/Berbice and primarily Linden, enjoy eight hours of work, as our focus is to have our workers enjoy eight hours pay.
The cleaners currently only work four hours per day and were not granted any salary increases in 2017.
He added, “What is worse is that because of the kind of agreement that was made under the previous administration, whenever there’s a salary increase, they do not enjoy that increase.”
Morian said that the workers also do not receive any gratuity.
The Regional Chairman said that the issue must not be swept under the carpet and that it is very important that the Department of Labour get involved.
He promised to address the issue with the Ministry of Communities.
About 25 ‘half-day cleaners’ on Tuesday vented their disgruntlement over what they say are promised and as yet undelivered increase in their salaries and improved working conditions.
The cleaners from various schools across Linden engaged Maurice Butters, Regional Industrial Relations Officer of the Guyana Public Service Union at a meeting at the Regional Democratic Council Boardroom on Tuesday.
One cleaner lamented, “We salary is at the one rate and when they put on the eight percent last year, we didn’t get any. We ain’t get enough cleaning gear[s]. When we look back at the conditions [that] we are working under, it is not proper. We need better systems to be put in place to be comfortable and to do our work efficiently.”
Butters pointed out, “During last year around September, the Minister of State Joseph Harmon, said on national television that the government would regularise the conditions of service of all part-time cleaners and based on our information that we heard, it has already started in the other regions.”
However, Butters said that upon enquiring from the Regional Administration, he was told that they are not aware of this and were not informed.
The cleaners said that they are contemplating their next move and one suggestion was that they take to the streets to get their grievances heard.
However, Butters said that the Guyana Public Service Union already knows of the situation and wants to be further involved; hence, they are going to meet with the Regional Administration on this matter.
He pointed out, “The Georgetown cleaners who are working eight hours are already getting their increase in their salaries, since September. My people will be coming up with the information to present it to the Regional Administration here in Linden.”

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