THE Department of Labour within the Ministry of Social Protection has found that the Guyana Times newspaper has the most recorded cases of violations against workers and their rights. This is according to the department, following a meeting on Monday between reporters and Minister within the Ministry of Social Protection Simona Broomes, Deputy Chief Labour Officer Lydia Green, and consultant to the Department of Labour Francis Carryl.
It was pointed out during the meeting that while most of the complaints about violations of workers’ rights came from Guyana Times and TVG Evening News, those reports were made by persons including reporters, who asked that their names be withheld to avoid victimisation on the job.
The Department of Labour also spoke to the many outstanding labour issues that have to be addressed with the Guyana Times and TVG management on treatment of their staff.
The complaints, however, were not restricted to claims about working conditions against Guyana Times, but almost all media houses in the country, including the State-owned media.
From all indications, the meeting heard that most of the discomfort seemed to be affecting workers within the State media, although the reports have not been forthcoming. The ministry has been doing its own investigations into the entities, and gathering some information.
One of the common concerns the department found among reporters, is that they are mandated to work long hours, work on their days off, work overtime and holidays and are sometimes not properly paid for this in accordance with the labour laws, while in some cases, no payments at all are made.
The department made it clear that no worker, despite which company they work for, should be made to work beyond eight hours and not be paid for it. Additionally, while the minister acknowledged that some companies do have their own policies which workers sign on to, many of those are flawed as they violate the labour laws and those matters will be addressed, especially during unannounced visits to media houses.
According to Minister Broomes, while they have not yet visited media houses, at many of the other workplaces that were visited they had very poor records, inappropriate staff accommodation, unsanitary lunch areas and other facilities and services which were not of an acceptable standard.
The minister stated that those things need to be corrected and the new Government will. She spoke of the process already being looked at internally with all permanent secretaries of various ministries receiving memos from the Department of Labour of what is expected of them.
The minister and her team will be moving to have a meeting with the Guyana Press Association and unions representing media houses. The meeting which was held Monday was primarily for the managers and operators of media houses, but with the exception of one proprietress, there were no other principals from any media house present.
That was seen by the minister and her team as very depressing, since it indicated the level of regard they have for their workers.
The ministry will, however, be again extending an invitation to the media managers and operators to a meeting, but this time it is expected to be done through the grouping that was formed some time ago to represent them.
The minister also noted that the department is not just for mediation on behalf of workers, but also employers and the mandate of the department is to look after the interests of both the employer and employee. Minister Broomes made it clear that she is not prepared to give away the rights of the employee nor the employer.
And Deputy Chief Labour Officer Lydia Green told the gathering that in many cases, it is often felt that the Department of Labour is waging war against employers, but that is far from the truth.

By Leroy Smith