-But colourful and spirited as always
IT MAY very well have been a case of lethargy after West Indies’ nail-biting performance Friday at the Twenty20 World Cup Cricket currently being played here in Guyana, but whatever the circumstance, it does seem to have taken a toll on yesterday’s traditional Labour Day parade and rallies around the city in terms of numbers.
Poor turnout notwithstanding, workers took to the streets in their thousands, braving the sweltering heat as they  marched, with a certain sense of purpose,  along the traditional parade route in observance of Labour Day 2010, held this year under the theme: ‘Responding to Global Challenges through Trade Union Initiatives and Solidarity’.
Though not as well-attended as other Labour Day parades, as we’ve already established, it was evidently a parade of colours, with the  traditional red, white and black garb being fiercely invaded by others of much stronger hues such as green and orange.
A case in point was members of the Guyana Agriculture and General Workers Union (GAWU), in an unusual break with tradition, sporting orange tees instead of red on this occasion.
Scores of banners and placards carried by workers on the march demanded increased wages and better living conditions for the public employees;  recognition for unwaged workers; increased old age pension and public assistance; and the lowering of VAT (value-added tax).
But even as the workers on parade exhibited a deep sense of loyalty and commitment to the cause, the leadership of the trade union movement in Guyana remained as fragmented as ever.
And so, after having marched through the streets of Georgetown as a unified body, workers’ hearts were torn once again when, ironically, on approaching the compound of the Labour College named after Hubert Nathaniel Critchlow, the father of trade unionism in Guyana, and the headquarters of Guyana’s umbrella trade union, the Guyana Trades Union Congress (GTUC), they were heralded to other culmination points where separate rallies were held.
As a result, the individual rallies were poorly attended.  The GTUC held its rally at the compound of the Critchlow Labour College, while GAWU, the Guyana Labour Union (GLU) and  NAACIE (National Association of Commercial and Industrial Employees) jointly held theirs at the National Park. The Teachers’ Union held theirs at their Union Hall, while the Clerical and Commercial Workers Union (CCWU) held theirs at Clerico House on Quamina Street.
The CCWU rally was chaired by its general secretary, Anne Anderson, with the feature address being given by the president, Mr. Fitzgerald Agard.  They both lamented the ongoing compartmentalization of the trade union movement here, which they feel can only redound to the continued suffering of workers.
Andersen, who expressed disappointment that two wreath-laying ceremonies instead of one were held at the Critchlow Monument in the compound of the Public Buildings, said that this move signaled that from now on, there would never be a unified trade union.   The  first wreath- laying ceremony was held by the Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Guyana (FITUG),  while the GTUC held theirs later in the afternoon.
Taking to the podium, CCWU President, Fitzgerald Agard said: “I am deeply saddened  over the fact that we are still a disunited trade union.”   He alluded to FITUG and the GTUC which, he conceded, were neither committed to a unified movement, adding that this has become obvious to the employers themselves, who use it to advantage.
He called on workers to be vigilant, and to be able to recognize when employers are “trying to put their fingers in workers eyes.” Nothing that the CCWU has lost significant membership, Agard  admonished those remaining to play their part by bringing in new blood to the fold. He also called for the strengthening of the shop steward system.
Later in the day, Prime Minister Mr. Samuel Hinds paid a visit to the CCWU headquarters, where he met with executives and workers having a day of fun.