Striking nurses and other staff of the Woodlands Hospital yesterday protested outside the hospital over the administration’s refusal to recognise the Guyana Labour Union (GLU) as the workers’ representative.

“No GLU, No Work” and “$150 night premium” were among some of the picket signs the employees displayed during their protest. One protester said the hospital was avoiding the question of recognition because it wanted to continue to exploit workers and deny them their rights.

The issue was first raised in July 2006 when the GLU applied to the Ministry of Labour for recognition to represent a certain group of workers at the Woodlands Hospital. It has since progressed to its present stage where the GLU says the hospital refuses to recognise that it would be representing the workers.

Contacted on the issue, Hospital Administrator Dr Neville Gobin said that while the hospital recognised the constitutional right of every employee to be represented by a union, it resented the “flagrant breach of the laws of Guyana”, which the GLU committed when it failed to inform the hospital of the results of a survey done within a specific time frame. It was because of this breach of the law, Gobin said, that the hospital refused recognition.

However, Gobin said the strike had no impact on the hospital’s operations. The number of employees who refused to work was approximately 18 per cent of the hospital’s total staff. According to him, all patients were tended to as normal and the hospital’s operations ran smoothly.

The strike concluded yesterday afternoon between 3 pm and 4 pm and the workers are to resume work today. Gobin said the hospital had no objections to this and would not penalise the striking workers.

The hospital’s administration and the GLU are to attend a meeting on Monday under the chairmanship of the Ministry of Labour to determine the question of recognition.

However, GLU General Secretary Carvil Duncan stressed that the issue was whether the hospital would recognise the GLU as the union that represents the workers.