WORKERS representing the Guyana Teachers Union (GTU), the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) and the Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU) turned out in full force in their red jerseys and white trousers at the Essequibo May Day rally which was held at Anna Regina today.Rallying under the theme “Your vote is your power – workers vote right”, workers of the three unions started their rally from La Bella Alliance, opposite the Damon Cross, and marched along the public road, under banners representing their respective unions, to the Anna Regina Community Centre Ground.

Some of the workers sang solidarity songs, while teachers under the GTU banner cried for their debunching payments.

The rally was accompanied by steel pan music provided by members of the New Opportunity Corp.

At the Anna Regina Community Centre Ground, workers were addressed by Mr Julian Cambridge, second Vice President of the GTU, who delivered the feature address. Mr Cambridge based his message mainly on debunching payments for teachers.

He said the union would be taking industrial action from Monday, May 4th, because the union cannot continue to have its teachers working in unsatisfactory conditions any longer.

Some workers clapped and shouted, while others shouted that the working conditions are far better under this Government.

Mr Cambridge said the Government and the GTU agreed to debunching payments, and up to now there is nothing forthcoming. He said conditions under which teachers work are very terrible, and he pointed out that, in some cases, teachers are forced to fetch water to flush toilets, sit on broken chairs, and even have to share tables.

He asked the small crowd, “Are you satisfied with these conditions?” Part of the crowd shouted back a loud “No!” while another section shouted back that conditions are much, much better at the schools than what had obtained under the last PNC government.

Region Two Chairman Mr Parmanand Persaud, who addressed the crowd on behalf of the Regional Administration, said workers should celebrate their achievements during the last year, and congratulated all teachers across the region for their hard work in moulding the nation’s children during the past year.

The Chairman credited the hard work of the teachers with the region doing well in the field of education, and he pointed to the excellent results obtained by the region at the CXC examinations.

Region Two topped the entire country and Caribbean in one year, and Mr Persaud assured teachers that the PPP/C government would continue to support them.

The Chairman noted that the rallies are getting smaller and smaller each year, while the workforce is getting bigger and bigger. He said workers are having much better wages under this Government, and he pointed to teachers having up-to-date training program mes so they can qualify themselves.He said the theme “Your vote is your power- workers vote right”is a sure way to encourage workers to vote for a government that has transformed Guyana with better roads, streets, lights on the roadway, abundance of food in supermarkets, better health services, better ferry services,reliable electricity service, treated and portable water distribution and many other efficient services.

Former member of Parliament and stalwart of the PPP, Mr Isahack Basir, called for private sector workers to get unionized and be part of the rally on May Day. Mr Basir said workers are important because they run the country. He pointed to the late Dr Cheddi Jagan, Linden Forbes Burnham, Joseph Pollydore and Aston Chase, among others as leading men who contributed to the trade union movement in Guyana.

Greetings were also brought from GAWU, GTU and GPSU representatives.

(Rajendra Prabhulall in E/bo)