World Federation of Trade Unions Secretary calls on Labour Minister
Labour Minister, Dr Nanda Gopaul; World Federation of Trade Unions Secretary for  Latin America and the Caribbean, Mr. Ramon Cardona Nuevo; and President of the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU), Mr Komal Chand, who is also a Vice-President for the World Federation of Trade Unions
Labour Minister, Dr Nanda Gopaul; World Federation of Trade Unions Secretary for Latin America and the Caribbean, Mr. Ramon Cardona Nuevo; and President of the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU), Mr Komal Chand, who is also a Vice-President for the World Federation of Trade Unions

GUYANA’s provision for workers came in for high commendation when the World Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU) Secretary for Latin America and the Caribbean, Mr. Ramon Cardona Nuevo and Guyana’s Labour Minister, Dr. Nanda Gopaul met earlier yesterday at the Ministry of Labour. 

A press statement said present at the meeting was President of the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU), Mr. Komal Chand, who is also a vice-president for the World Federation of Trade Unions.
During the meeting, the minister shared some of the provisions Guyana has made to protect workers, including the implementation of the National Minimum Wage and a 40-hour work week; protection of domestic workers through Guyana signing on to ILO Convention # 189,and thereby becoming the first Caribbean country to become a signatory to the Convention.
Mr. Ramon said this was commendable, as trade unions in many countries around the world are still battling to have governments recognise 40-hour work week and overtime pay for work in excess of eight hours per day. “This is not the situation around the world, many are now fighting to achieve this,” he said.
Gopaul also spoke of the country’s efforts to end child labour through the provision of secondary education and technical and vocational training for early school-leavers through the Board of Industrial Training. He also indicated that the Government is a working- class one and has worked hard to create a legal framework that protects workers’ rights. In this context, several of the labour laws provide for compulsory jail sentences if there are violations, including the Termination of Employment and Severance Pay Acts. There are also lawful provisions for the recognition of unions which has the support of at least 40 per cent of the workers.
“These are good things for workers, and we should have Guyana share its experience with the rest of the Caribbean and even the world,” Mr. Ramon said, extending an invitation for Guyana to do so at a conference billed for early next year. He also invited Guyana to participate in the sixth conference of the World Federation of Trade Unions slated for next year as well in Curacao.
Other issues discussed at the meeting included the protection of workers employed by foreign companies and the possibility of Guyana cementing its relationship with the World Federation of Trade Unions.
The Federation’s secretary’s visit to Guyana is part of a round trip that includes visits to Trinidad and Tobago, Suriname, Jamaica, Barbados and Grenada.

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