AHEAD of Labour Day, the Guyana Trades Union Congress and the Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Guyana hosted a wreath-laying ceremony to reflect on the father of the trade union movement in Guyana, Hubert Nathaniel Critchlow.

The event was hosted on Sunday at the forecourt of Parliament Building in line with this year’s theme: ‘Advancing Solidarity-Promoting Employment and Decent Work’.

In his remarks, Minister within the Ministry of Social Protection with responsibility for Labour, Keith Scott, spoke to the duties of trade unions to operate in unity and the need for stakeholders to embrace the concept of strategic leadership to survive in changing times.

The government, he said, will continue seeking to respond with speed and accuracy to address the challenges to human development, as in the case of the recent sanctioning of Russian bauxite company, Rusal.

“The rapidity in which the world is changing due to technology renders concepts, principles and ideas obsolete at an elaborate rate. Therefore, we have to be constantly innovative and adaptable to many of the changes which confront us without warning,” he said.

Since last week, meetings have commenced on the Rusal matter between the Guyana Bauxite and General Workers Union (GB&GWU) and the government, while visits were made to the company’s Aroaima location in Region 10.

When it comes to other ongoing issues, Scott encouraged unions to abstain from the ‘blame game’ and to put all hands on deck to play active roles in improving the livelihoods of workers nationwide.

“It is not the time to be casting blame to the delight and excitement to our enemies or naysayers. It is time for trade unions to reposition themselves as game changers in the development process, as we march onwards towards the realm of a good life,” he said.

Meanwhile, Executive Member of the Guyana Public Service Union, Duwane Boston, after giving a history of the social advocacy works of Hubert Nathaniel Critchlow, spoke on the Trade Union Recognition Act.

He pointed out that portions of the document are still being ignored by some, such as the call for employers to recognise the union and for the two to bargain in good faith and enter into negotiation with each other.

“Hubert Nathaniel Critchlow fought for these improvements but, over the years we saw deterioration in the conditions of employment. This is largely attributed to the lack of unity in the trade union movement,” he said, adding:

“Let us embrace each other and work together as Hubert Nathaniel Critchlow would have done to move workers’ social and economic values to higher levels. Let us remember the struggle of all those who worked hard and tirelessly towards making this country a great nation,” he said.

Also present at the function was Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Basil Williams; Guyana Teachers Union (GTU) General-Secretary, Coretta McDonald; President of the Guyana Trades Union Congress (GTUC), Lincoln Lewis; students of several secondary schools in Georgetown and the Guyana Police Force Band.