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THAT the announcement of a national minimum wage, and a five–day 40-hour work week that represents the interests of private sector workers, heralds a new era in industrial relations in Guyana, is an understatement.
It marks a watershed, because for the first time in the nation’s industrial history, a particular category of workers, who were at the mercy of what can be described as rapacious and heartless employers, are now finally protected by regulations that in effect have ended their exploitation.
For those who may have forgotten, the idea of a five-day work week is not new, as in 1986 it had been implemented for public sector workers. With regard to a minimum wage, the last time that there was one was four years ago. However, in 1212, Government announced the introduction of a minimum wage for shopkeepers, fuel station attendants, restaurant workers and bar attendants.
But there was a realisation that this coverage did not extend to the other vulnerable groups, hence the subsequent announcement by the Minister of Labour, Dr. Nanda Gopaul, that government was considering a national minimum wage that will cover all categories of workers in the private sector. Concomitantly, this development would also result in all anomalies being settled with regard to conditions of work.
Therefore, the June announcement was the product of a tripartite endeavour that involved the key stakeholders – the trade union movement, the business and commercial sectors, and of course, the government. For this, the administration must be commended, since the main players have inherently been involved in arriving at this milestone.
However, what is very surprising, and contradictory, has been the initial protestations from the premier corporate business organisations. Beginning with complaints ranging from “lack of consultation”, “threat of inflation”, “more time for implementation”, to “threat of workers being laid off”. It is astonishing that such statements could have been made following the ground-breaking announcement. After all, these business stakeholders were party to an agreement that meant the end of a stranglehold by their member organisations, who are mostly uncaring about the welfare of the thousands of mainly young-aged workers who help them to amass untold profits. But the worker received very little, except their pittance.
They are legion, the numerous accounts of workers in every known private sector category being made to toil in very hazardous conditions; for exploitative wages; ridiculously short lunch breaks; no annual leave; no insurance coverage and assistance for medical attention, and no protection from long hours of work, with no overtime.
It is inconceivable that the government, signatory to several ILO conventions, particularly the Decent Work Programme, would have allowed the savage rape of this section of the nation’s workers to continue. Not only will those employees now begin to receive well-deserved, decent wages for their daily labour, but such level of earnings will afford them a better standard of living, and all the new benefits, as stipulated.
For the private sector, especially those who may attempt to resist this new dawn, give the workers what has been long overdue!
It marks a watershed, because for the first time in the nation’s industrial history, a particular category of workers, who were at the mercy of what can be described as rapacious and heartless employers, are now finally protected by regulations that in effect have ended their exploitation.
For those who may have forgotten, the idea of a five-day work week is not new, as in 1986 it had been implemented for public sector workers. With regard to a minimum wage, the last time that there was one was four years ago. However, in 1212, Government announced the introduction of a minimum wage for shopkeepers, fuel station attendants, restaurant workers and bar attendants.
But there was a realisation that this coverage did not extend to the other vulnerable groups, hence the subsequent announcement by the Minister of Labour, Dr. Nanda Gopaul, that government was considering a national minimum wage that will cover all categories of workers in the private sector. Concomitantly, this development would also result in all anomalies being settled with regard to conditions of work.
Therefore, the June announcement was the product of a tripartite endeavour that involved the key stakeholders – the trade union movement, the business and commercial sectors, and of course, the government. For this, the administration must be commended, since the main players have inherently been involved in arriving at this milestone.
However, what is very surprising, and contradictory, has been the initial protestations from the premier corporate business organisations. Beginning with complaints ranging from “lack of consultation”, “threat of inflation”, “more time for implementation”, to “threat of workers being laid off”. It is astonishing that such statements could have been made following the ground-breaking announcement. After all, these business stakeholders were party to an agreement that meant the end of a stranglehold by their member organisations, who are mostly uncaring about the welfare of the thousands of mainly young-aged workers who help them to amass untold profits. But the worker received very little, except their pittance.
They are legion, the numerous accounts of workers in every known private sector category being made to toil in very hazardous conditions; for exploitative wages; ridiculously short lunch breaks; no annual leave; no insurance coverage and assistance for medical attention, and no protection from long hours of work, with no overtime.
It is inconceivable that the government, signatory to several ILO conventions, particularly the Decent Work Programme, would have allowed the savage rape of this section of the nation’s workers to continue. Not only will those employees now begin to receive well-deserved, decent wages for their daily labour, but such level of earnings will afford them a better standard of living, and all the new benefits, as stipulated.
For the private sector, especially those who may attempt to resist this new dawn, give the workers what has been long overdue!
