ESLYN Harris is General-Secretary of the Guyana Postal and Telecommunication Workers Union. For all her years in the profession, she has a genuine love for negotiation and workers’ benefits and all the other tenets that trade unions stand for.

“Among the several reasons why workers continue to join trade unions are, they are better covered, trade unions negotiate for them for better working conditions, better pay, trade unions provide training for new skillsets in companies- generally trade unions give advice and support to its members,” Harris told the Pepperpot Magazine.

She also noted that one of the major areas of trade unions is the renegotiation for workers to enjoy better working conditions and a better payment plan.

Eslyn noted that as General-Secretary, she has negotiated on behalf of certain categories of employees within the Guyana Post Office Corporation (GPOC) and Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GTT).

“Among my many successes over the years, which no doubt has caused the membership to repose confidence in me for upward of 13 years, are the preservation of jobs, thorough representation for the membership and the implementation of robust training and development programmes.  These apart, the accomplishments which have brought me personal satisfaction are the decentralisation of the union’s training programme, having the right to be heard institutionalised, and being able to expose our young membership to training at the regional level,” Eslyn told the Pepperpot Magazine.

Women as Trade Unionists
The trades union movement is traditionally a male-dominated arena, but according to Harris, there is a need for more women to be involved and be in leadership positions.

“But for me, I find as a woman you have to assert yourself because, for some reason, some would believe that as a woman you are soft on issues, but I always seek to gain respect,” she explained. “I enjoy working among my male counterparts. I continue to gain more knowledge from them. It is my desire for more women to be in leadership positions in [the] trade union movement,” Eslyn said.

Eslyn is also an advocate for the protection of workers’ rights and is aware that much more needs to be done on their behalf. “As an individual and in conjunction with my roles as General-Secretary and Principal Assistant Secretary respectively, I stand on the principles of rights and the rule of law. These principles are the bedrock on which labour stands,” she explained.

Of special note, she explained that after many years of intense representation and finally taking legal action, the most recent judgement in the High Court in the matter involving the Guyana Telecommunication Corporation (GTC) pensioners versus the Government of Guyana gives her particular pleasure. The judgement allows the former GTC (now known as GTT) workers to enjoy their rightful pensions.

“I believe that while we are governed by the Articles as contained within the Constitution of Guyana, there is an urgent need for constitution reform on many fronts. Among those of note are the full recognition and enablement of labour as a significant contributor to growth and development; the enablement of inclusivity at all levels in the operations of the state; the organs of the state and their subsidiary agencies; the institutionalisation of forms of establishing effective representation; and dispute- settlement mechanisms in an essentially bi-communal society where, hopefully, truth, justice and fair-play are ascendant,” she explained. “As a trade unionist, it is my hope that workers-past, present and potential-be respected and their rights protected. Further, I find that I continue to ardently value hard work and frugality above all else.”