Dear Editor,

Minister of Labour, Mr Manzoor Nadir’s comments in Stabroek News of May 1, 2009 are nothing short of hypocrisy. The Minister cannot be sincere when he said “workers should also continue to commit to their representative organisations; to building workers’ cooperatives and credit unions and ensuring that their voices are heard against violations of workers’ rights.” The things the Minister asked for in his May Day Message are the very things the Minister and his government have conducted a systematic campaign to destroy.

From all observations the PPP has no respect for the trade unions and has not left them to function without interference. Over the years the government has engaged in numerous strategies to create a disunited trade union society. This strategy can only be for one reason – a disunited trade union gives the government greater cover to violate workers’ rights.

Evidence of the government’s desire to control the unions are the consequences suffered by unions which refuse to succumb to its directive. Ten years later public servants have not received the full benefits of the Armstrong Award. The government refuses to conduct a commission of inquiry into the 1999 police shooting of those unarmed public service union members who were on strike for a living wage. The Minister of Labour has stated several reasons for the       government refusal to return the subventions to the Guyana Trades Union Congress and the Critchlow Labour College in spite of a public outcry, protestation, the near collapse of the college and the opportunities denied to students. Minister Nadir’s government continues to disrespect the rights of workers to organize and have representation by the manipulation of the Trades Union Recognition Board. Retired bauxite workers can never receive a pension because the government destroyed their pension plan. Collective bargaining is disregarded and the GPSU watches on helplessly every year as the government imposes measly wages and salaries. In another attempt to marginalize the GPSU the government hires contract workers in the public service who by the nature of their contract are not members of the GPSU.

The Minister needs to be reminded of the government’s record and told that the principle of unity in strength, respect for workers’ representation and an end to the violation of workers’ rights can never be achieved with this attitude.

Yours faithfully,
Winston Paul