In its Christmas message the union said it is acutely aware of the effect the global financial crisis along with internal blunders and external threats, have had on the Guyanese worker. It said too that “by now the travails of the bauxite workers and sugar workers will be familiar,” and that it had been forced to confront the local sugar bosses on behalf of workers whose toil provide both significant contributions to the nation’s GDP “as well as to certain very super salaries.” GAWU said its struggle has resulted in some relief and a reasonable Christmas for sugar sector employees.
The union also said that any perusal of its records will show that during the year it had negotiated gains for all of its members in various sectors of the economy. In light of this, GAWU said it hopes that “good sense prevails next year wherein employees realize that they still need workers’ labour.” It also extends wishes that the celebration of the Divine Birth inspire a rebirth of reasoning and reasonableness in Guyanese society in 2010 and beyond.
