TRADE unions here have overwhelmingly supported Labour Minister, Keith Scott’s initiative for the hosting of one May Day rally and pledged to work towards its realisation, the Ministry of Social Protection said in a release on Thursday. The ministry said that the minister has extended a written invitation to all trade unions to attend a meeting on 2-2-2016 with the sole purpose of establishing a committee for the management of the one rally. For years the trade union movement has been divided, hosting separate rallies on May Day.
The ministry said too that Scott, since his appointment, has engaged every Trade Union in the country and met with all, but two unions, during the past three weeks. The engagement involved the two umbrella bodies being the Guyana Trade Union Congress (GTUC) and the Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Guyana (FITUG) and their affiliates, as well as those unions who see themselves as non-aligned.
Minister Scott who is no stranger to the trade union fraternity and trade unionism, illustrated and highlighted his appreciation for the dynamism of the discipline as well as the challenges to the field. The release stated that Scott emphasised the need for unions to embrace such value as honesty, integrity and accountability, which are some of the virtues that characterise the mark and legacy of the late Hubert Nathaniel Critchlow. In essence, he advocated good governance of all trade unions.
The release added that Scott spared no effort in reminding the unions of the need to foster and maintain an investor–friendly climate in which there is little or no room for strikes and arbitration as a means of settling industrial differences. In fact, trade unions were reminded that the tenets of successful negotiation do not encompass arrogance and a test of strength, but rather mutual respect, compromise and a willingness to cooperate and co-exist, the minister stated.
According to the release, the engagement between the minister and the trade unions was not intended to be a forum to address the routine concerns of the unions because an opportunity for that purpose would be afforded each unions in the near future. A main thrust of the Honourable Minister’s submission to the unions was his mission for a unified May Day Celebration this year 2016. “Mr. Scott noted that for much too long the movement has been fractured and the time for a unification was long overdue. While that is an ideal time to strive for in the long run his main focus this year is a single rally with the features of a Family Reunion. Let there be one March, One platform, One Celebration and give true meaning to chorus of the International song which says for the union makes us strong.”
Scott asked, “’How can we, on Labour Day, sing solidarity forever’” and ‘the union makes us strong’ when we are divided?” He stressed that history has presented the trade unions with a euphoria which should be taken advantage of and showcase to the world at the beginning of the month our Golden Jubilee that there can be unity in the movement.