…says workers’ position on emoluments thrown 10 years backwards
WHILE the National Association of Agricultural, Commercial and Industrial Employees (NAACIE) acknowledges that an Arbitration Award was better than what Guyana Power and Light (GPL) workers received in the past, it remains dissatisfied with how the numbers were arrived at.
This is according to General Secretary of the union Kenneth Joseph, who held a press conference yesterday at NAACIE’s office, High Street, Kingston.
“The union, while recognising that the Award was more favourable than what was imposed and offered by the GPL remains concerned that it is giving not just the GPL but other employers to disregard agreements that were made on behalf of workers through union’s negotiation,” Joseph said.
“This can be used as precedent for future negotiations and can cause serious industrial dispute and action to assist in the maintaining of status quo and workers rights,” Joseph contended.
“The union will however encourage its members to spend the award wisely but to be prepared to continue to struggle to ensure rights are maintained,” he said.
“This is an award and we agree that whatever the arbitrators award will be binding and final. The workers are now entitled to two percent one-off payment for 2008 and six percent all inclusive for 2010. We will now prepare to start negotiations for 2011,” Joseph said.
The Arbitration panel, headed by Retired Justice Prem Persaud, was set up by the Ministry of Labour through the request made by NAACIE after the deadlock declared by the Chief Labour Officer for wages/salary increase for 2010 and non-payment of increment for 2007 to 2010.
This panel called a meeting on Monday and presented its award to the parties at the Ministry of Labour.
After GPL and NAACIE made presentations to justify their positions, the Panel met and made a decision that is deemed final and binding according to the Recognition Agreement between the parties.
“This award anyhow did the opposite of what was corrected in 2001 and has thrown the workers position on emoluments and increment at least 10 years backwards,” Joseph said.
He added that at no point in any discussion did the union negotiate or sign an agreement with the management that suggested or represented the Performance Incentive, the Across the Board and the Incremented pay structure as one.
According to Joseph, the arbitration panel found that the agreement for the 2009 payment did not spell out how the 6 percent was arrived at. “Be that as it may, however, the increase for that year was above the inflation rates. They considered the payment, having regard to all the circumstances, reasonable,” he said.
He said in 2006, GPL increased emoluments by 14 percent, which included six percent across the board, five percent Performance Incentive and three percent annual increment.
“For the year 2007, management increased emoluments to 9 percent which included 1.5 percent across the board, 4.5 percent Performance Incentive and 3 percent Annual Increment. They consider the increase for 2006 and 2007, having regard to all circumstances, reasonable,” he said.
According to Joseph, some 600 persons are to benefit from the award.