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The Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) salutes the nation’s workforce on this now traditional and International Workers’ Day – May Day 2013.
The sentiments, the meaning of this one day should permeate the entire year, every year. For workers, including the Guyanese-worker, are called upon to produce everyday; to contribute practically through physical, mental and intellectual toil, at all levels of management, non-management, policy-making and/or administration every hour. May Day then is a powerful symbol of the worth of the worker, a cause for celebration and reflection. GAWU representing workers in the key sectors of the economy paid keen attention to the just-concluded deliberations in Parliament as elected representatives considered the 2013 Estimates of Revenues and Expenditures – Current and Capital. It was a most moving, interactive and sometimes contentious exercise by the nation’s lawmakers and economic planners who, no doubt, had to recognize political considerations amongst the economic factors and projections.
Whilst Guyana’s premier Labour Leader H.N. Critchlow always reminded his members that “Politics follows us from the cradle to the grave”, GAWU – as an affiliate of the major workers grouping FITUG – would suggest to our political directorates, including government and parliamentary opposition, that it is now timely, opportune to engage experienced trade unionists to assist in negotiating and brokering compromises and collective solutions when there is deadlock, contention and disagreement at the highest levels. After all, trade unions are primary stakeholders in any national discourse, representing as they do thousands of workers who keep the economy’s wheels turning.
GAWU represents workers in vital sectors of the economy – agriculture, marine, beverages, forestry, transportation – to name a few, so we hope our foregoing suggestion is actively considered. GAWU suspects that great positives will emerge from the Budget 2013 reductions. Our members and sister Union – NAACIE – toil in sugar and electricity supply – two areas which came under the Opposition’s Parliamentary focus. So there are thousands of concerned GAWU and NAACIE members. Somehow, we feel compromise and a return to the Assembly will not be impossible.
On May Day 2013 let us as unionists resolve to be our brothers’ and sisters’ keepers. What happens in gold, bauxite or fisheries will eventually impact upon us all. Differences are made to be overcome.
Happy May Day from GAWU!
The sentiments, the meaning of this one day should permeate the entire year, every year. For workers, including the Guyanese-worker, are called upon to produce everyday; to contribute practically through physical, mental and intellectual toil, at all levels of management, non-management, policy-making and/or administration every hour. May Day then is a powerful symbol of the worth of the worker, a cause for celebration and reflection. GAWU representing workers in the key sectors of the economy paid keen attention to the just-concluded deliberations in Parliament as elected representatives considered the 2013 Estimates of Revenues and Expenditures – Current and Capital. It was a most moving, interactive and sometimes contentious exercise by the nation’s lawmakers and economic planners who, no doubt, had to recognize political considerations amongst the economic factors and projections.
Whilst Guyana’s premier Labour Leader H.N. Critchlow always reminded his members that “Politics follows us from the cradle to the grave”, GAWU – as an affiliate of the major workers grouping FITUG – would suggest to our political directorates, including government and parliamentary opposition, that it is now timely, opportune to engage experienced trade unionists to assist in negotiating and brokering compromises and collective solutions when there is deadlock, contention and disagreement at the highest levels. After all, trade unions are primary stakeholders in any national discourse, representing as they do thousands of workers who keep the economy’s wheels turning.
GAWU represents workers in vital sectors of the economy – agriculture, marine, beverages, forestry, transportation – to name a few, so we hope our foregoing suggestion is actively considered. GAWU suspects that great positives will emerge from the Budget 2013 reductions. Our members and sister Union – NAACIE – toil in sugar and electricity supply – two areas which came under the Opposition’s Parliamentary focus. So there are thousands of concerned GAWU and NAACIE members. Somehow, we feel compromise and a return to the Assembly will not be impossible.
On May Day 2013 let us as unionists resolve to be our brothers’ and sisters’ keepers. What happens in gold, bauxite or fisheries will eventually impact upon us all. Differences are made to be overcome.
Happy May Day from GAWU!
