GTUC launching public meetings on civic issues, workers’ rights

The Guyana Trade Union Congress (GTUC) will be holding a series of public meetings from today to “up the ante” on the administration regarding issues affecting citizens, including workers’ rights.

Trade unionists Lincoln Lewis and his colleague Norris Witter yesterday mounted a small protest outside the Ministry of Labour in the city to mark the beginning of a move meant to “take the struggle to the government.”

According to Witter, the GTUC had been calling on the administration to address issues affecting workers rights for some time and he highlighted the on-going issue of the dismissed RUSAL workers as an example. The issue had been a back and forth one and to date no viable solution had been found between the two sides.

He said that the union did everything “conceivable and possible” to bring the issue to a close and he noted that union representatives have been attending meetings organised by the ministry and Labour Minister Manzoor Nadir. He said that Nadir “even committed to put measures in train to address the issue” but nothing fruitful has come to being.

Witter noted that starting this afternoon, the body will be holding a series of public meetings at the Critchlow Labour College, where workers rights and GTUC’s position about this year’s general elections would be under discussion.