The Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) on Sunday successfully concluded its Demerara Area Conference attended by a representative grouping of 215 members from among the union’s membership in Demerara.
The conference was held at the Kingston Secondary School under the theme “Strengthening the Union, Combat Derecognition, Improving Workers’ Welfare”.
A press release from GAWU said that a similar conference will be held in Berbice on June 26, 2011, to be attended by a representative body of the union membership in Berbice. It said in keeping with the rules of the union, it is required to hold area conferences between the triennial congresses of the union. The union’s next triennial congress will take place next year after July.
At the conference, the union’s general secretary presented the general council report of the union which lasted over one hour and covered 29 topics outlining important events attended to by the union since its 19th Congress in August, 2009.
“There was active participation by delegates and union officials contributing to the general council report. Speakers highlighted work place issues and spoke to the need for higher remuneration for workers in the private and state sectors, including corporations, owing to higher cost-of-living resulting from higher food prices,” the release said.
It said five resolutions were approved unanimously, on the sugar industry, annual production incentive, unity of the working class, income tax threshold, and implementation of a five percent increase on workers’ rate-of-pay from January 1, 2011.
“GAWU is steadfast in holding its congress, area conferences, and annual branch conferences. It strives to have the functioning of its branches to ensure an active link, as far as possible, with its rank and file. Statutory meetings of the central executive committee and the general council are held throughout the year. GAWU is also proud of its yearly audited statements provided by the Office of the Auditor General. The statements for year ended 31st December 2010 have already been issued in accordance with Section 22 (1) of the Trade Union Act, Chapter 98:03 of the Laws of Guyana. This is verifiable testimony to the institution’s democratic nature and adherence to structured regulations,” the union said.