Dear Editor,
It is hoped this belated response was not in the interim construed as discourtesy and depriving myself of the right to set the record straight.
Objection is taken to Drs. Melissa Ifill and Jewel Thomas’ assertion that making known the university unions were not in possession of a Certificate of Recognition and Collective Labour Agreement constitute “insinuations of illegality and or impropriety.” Reference is being made to the letter dated 13th June 2019 `UGSSA is certified, Collective Labour Agreement is high on its agenda’ signed by the named writers.
The university unions sought my intervention with the management of the university, based on the threatened withholding of across-the-board salary increases to lecturers who allegedly were delinquent in marking and submitting the students’ papers. The early thorny relationship with the management and unions was also informed by the absence of a Certificate of Recognition.
At that meeting I argued that notwithstanding the alleged shortcoming on the lecturers’ part, across-the-board salary increases cannot be denied them, and made known the principle that guided my position. At that meeting it was further advised that those lecturers with outstanding papers be encouraged to get themselves in order. In fact, both parties agreed to and upheld said advice.
It was made known at the said meeting and reiterated in my 2nd June letter in the media, that notwithstanding the absence of a Certificate of Recognition, the fact that management and the unions are engaging is indicative management recognises the unions as the workers’ representatives. Then and in the instant letter the unions were advised of the advantage of complying with Section 23 of the Trade Union Recognition Act (1997).
The process to attain the Certificate of Recognition -i.e. satisfying the required conditions-was guided by me. Having obtained the certificate, the courtesy of knowing same was not accorded until at a meeting among the unions and the Guyana Trades Union Congress (GTUC) on 4th June. It was via Drs. Ifill and Thomas’ letter I learnt the certificate is dated August 2016. To come now to the media on the pretext the union was in compliance all along is an act of grave deception worthy to be noted and condemned. For after all these two doctors are held to a higher level of honour.
Further, the statement made by me that Freddie Kissoon “is behind the confusion in the University of Guyana (UG) industrial environment” stands. Said letter dated 2nd June can be revisited for clarity on my position. Critical observers and researchers would not be easily fooled about who is seeking to and influencing who. The opinion of Drs. Thomas and Ifill does not negate anything I have said.
In the meeting held on 4th June where the GTUC and university unions discussed a proposal presented by the former, days later Freddie not only wrote about it, sought to distort and took it totally out of context in another of his many lies. In his 7th June letter he stated “Lewis met the leadership of the two unions and produced a document for them to sign, in which they would agree that in the relationship with the TUC in the UG Council, they will abstain from writing on UG issues involving the TUC in the media.”
There was cause on 8th June to set the record straight by making public the proposed statement, which expressly states, “The parties have agreed from henceforth they commit themselves to make no public statement that can prejudice future negotiations which can realise improved conditions and benefits for workers, the delivery of effective education for the citizenry, and confidence in the University of Guyana.”
Not surprisingly, the university unions never publicly saw it fit to counter the deception/misrepresentation of the 4th June meeting, which sought to move the process forward. And after failing to return to a meeting planned for 5th June, a letter was sent on 6th June and common courtesy did not even dictate a response.
I, Lincoln Lewis, would be among the last to ever seek to deny any union the pursuit of good governance and support for doing so within their fold, from the management, and in the wider society. Any who claim to the contrary does not know me, has not followed my work, is parroting another’s opinion or being downright wicked. The right to self-determination of the unions’ welfare is that of the unions’ leadership and its rank and file membership. This is a right of every union which I hold with deep respect.
Whether the university unions will need my advice or support, now, or in the future, is a right of theirs to determine. What they shall not determine for me is what I must speak to or who I shall consult before speaking. That is my right and I shall not relinquish it to anyone.
As a trade unionist and leader there is vested interest in ensuring a stable industrial climate in this country. Guided by the belief that a threat to one, is a threat to all my voice will be heard anywhere, on any issue where I think the rights and interest of workers are being threatened.
Finally, the state-owned University of Guyana, the nation’s highest institution of learning, belongs to all Guyanese. We ought to retain vested objective interest in the welfare of those who work there, those who benefit from the education provided, and those who do business with the institution. The stability of that environment requires all be treated with deserving respect. Whereas there is an abiding interest to protect the rights of a unionised workforce, it would be remiss of me to ignore the rights of the non-unionised and to act in anywhere that would lend to interpretation that theirs is of lesser import.
I commend the UGSSA in its acquisition of a Certificate and public statement of putting the Collective Labour Agreement high on the agenda. These two instruments of trade union authority are important for the fulfilment of workers’ representation. The point is made once again that it does not serve our mutual interest to hash out differences in the public domain, particularly since the GTUC is always prepared to engage with any union in pursuit of resolving differences. We are reminded the Council of the University of Guyana also took the same position.
Yours faithfully,
Lincoln Lewis
