Dear Editor,
May Day 2022 finds the Guyanese unions still divided, workers and unions still docile, collective bargaining almost dead, unions silent on Guyana’s bad oil deal, as real wages decline, and the Guyanese working poor struggling to make ends meet with no relief in sight. There is nothing to celebrate this Labour Day. The unions have failed us and the Government takes advantage of a fractured movement. Can you imagine some of these unions were fighting the Government in court about vaccination and hoping the Government’s efforts would fail? Unions have lost their way. We need a new unionism and new militancy to fight for proper governance of oil and related transparency, and accountability, to ensure we get more income from oil and all natural resource contracts. If the pie is bigger, money can go towards a new structure of “living wage” compensation, pensions, and income supports for all including housewives, the self-employed, taxi drivers, subsistence farmers, fishermen, the disabled, and other vulnerable populations. If Guyana gets a better deal through renegotiation, no Guyanese would be left behind.
There was a time when Guyanese workers and unions were imbued with a strong working-class ideology based on socialist principles, when both the PPP and PNC were working class parties. Now these major parties are firmly in the camp of the bourgeoisie and petty bourgeoisie watching out for the interests of the business elite and oil imperialists. They have departed from their historic roots. Who would have expected that both the PNC and PPP during the elections secretly promised the oil companies that they would not renegotiate the rotten, worst oil contract in the history of oil that gave away the country’s national patrimony and largest natural resource? And the trade unions are largely silent. Mr. Norris Witter of the General Workers’ Union (GWU) is to be commended for speaking out for renegotiation and even Mr. Lincoln Lewis of the TUC seems to be a supporter of renegotiation. What happened to the other unions in the Trade Unions Congress (TUC) and Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Guyana (FITUG)? What happened to their working-class core values? What worker values inspire the FITUG unions? FITUG is calling for a $60,000 minimum wage while Exxon and friends get 85% of all oil income, and tax-free salaries and concessions. Do FITUG and TUC see a correlation between higher wages, salaries, and benefits and renegotiation of the oil contract? A minimum wage in these times should be nothing less than $100,000! Begging for $60,000 is a sellout!
These union factions should know the major parties to which each side aligns, have sold out the Guyanese workers. Now it’s the PNC, PPP and oil companies on the same side versus the working people of Guyana. By their silence, the unions are on the side of the oil imperialists too and the workers are on their own. There can be no neutrality on the matter of renegotiation. The new PNC Leader swears that he never used the word “renegotiation” as if that was a “cuss” word. On the government side, the presidential candidate said in 2020 that “everything” is up for review and renegotiation, and now safely ensconced in Government, they have reneged. Promise made, promise not kept! The unions seem to grope in the dark as the Government ignores collective bargaining and imposes its own terms and conditions for wages and salaries. The Opposition has no higher ground to criticize the Government as they have done the same during their rule.
In light of a divided unionism and unions that have sold out to their political camps, and no obvious working class ideology among the workers, the only voice for the working class and educating the working class and entire nation about the effects and impact of a rotten oil contract on Guyanese quality of life and worker benefits is Mr. Glenn Lall. The Kaieteur News, Stabroek News, the Oil and Gas Governance Network (www.OGGN.org), TIGI, “Our Wealth, Our Country,” Article 13 and some other civil society activists are active too. They are doing the kind of working class education we need about oil and gas and natural resources, and how strong governance, accountability, and renegotiation are necessary. Mr. Lall has been able to draw the links between a renegotiated contract that will lead to more income for Guyana, and better wages, salaries, and benefits for the working poor. Why are the unions not doing this type of education for their members? Guyana’s list of needs is long, and unless we get more from our oil, gold, timber, and other natural resources, we will not be able to revamp our wage and salary system, provide income supports and social security programmes for the stay-at-home moms and housewives, pensioners, widowed and single parents, those needing public assistance, the mentally and physical handicapped, and such vulnerable populations. It’s time for a new unionism! Wake up, workers of Guyana!
Sincerely,
Dr. Jerry Jailall
