Veteran trade unionist,Jean Schmidt died yesterday,  after a brief  illness plunging the trade union movement into mourning.  She was in her late 60s.

The news of her passing, announced at the Trades Union Congress (TUC) rally at the Critchlow Labour College yesterday morning, sent shock waves across the union fraternity  in Guyana.  The announcement was made by General Secretary of the TUC, Mr. Lincoln Lewis.
Schmidt, who was the President of the Agricultural and Allied Workers’ Union for a number of years, following the demise of former Chairman Selo Baichan, was, at the time of her death, President of the Women’s Advisory Council of the TUC, and also one of the vice presidents of the TUC.

Reacting with shock at the news of her demise, President of the TUC, Mr. Norris Witter said,  “Her death at this time has really hit us, and particularly me, like a thunderbolt”.
Whitter recalled he spoke with Sister Jean as recently as last Friday, and she admitted to him that she was not feeling well.  She mentioned having visited her doctor who advised her to rest.  But, committed to the cause as she was, Schmidt said she could not rest at this time, since she was at the centre of a struggle, defending her workers at the National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute (NAREI ).
Whitter said that, despite his admonitions, in which he cautioned her to heed her doctor’s  advice, she insisted on the contrary, saying that she must continue the work she had started.
The TUC Chairman, recalling that Schmidt ended the conversation by promising to make every effort to be at yesterday’s May Day Rally, said that early yesterday he looked around for her at Parade Ground
and made enquires.
He was told that she had been taken to hospital by relatives. But soon after, he received the sad news of her passing.
“I’ve been very close to her over the past year, and I know that she will be sadly missed,” Whitter concluded, adding that ever since the demise of Selo Baichan, Ms. Schmidt had been the beacon of the  Agricultural and Allied Workers Union.

He said the trade union movement can take solace in the fact that she lived and she worked, adding, “When the spear falls from the hands of a fighter, let us not allow the spear to touch the ground, but use it to take the fight forward.”
And General Secretary of the TUC, Mr. Lincoln Lewis added:  “Jean will be greatly missed. She had been a member of the Executive Council, and was also one of the persons who benefited from the regional training programme that sought to develop women.
“She may not have been a frontline person, but did what she had to do with commitment and conviction, and ultimately served the trade union movement in Guyana well. The movement has lost a wonderful person.

And Ms. Fowler, on behalf of the Women’s Advisory Council of which Ms. Schmidt was President, expressed sadness over her passing. She recalled that Sister Jean Schmidt had been a trade unionist for over 50 years and had been its Secretary under the Presidency of Ms. Jean Persico.