Dear Editor,
THE trade union movement in Guyana was founded by Hubert Nathaniel Critchlow in 1919. The trade union movement was once a powerful force in our country. Pre-independence, the People’s Progressive Party was twice the victim of the trade union movement.

In 1953 with the Guiana Industrial Workers’ Union. Later in 1964, the People’s National Congress aligned Trade Union Congress organised a strike which subsequently led to British intervention and the introduction of the proportional representation system.

However, today the majority of the trade unions in Guyana have lost their way. These entities are plagued with poor leadership, disunity and the age-old problem of political affiliation. The trade union movement in Guyana has long been associated with politics. However, never before have such pitiful attempts at trade unionism appeared in Guyana. This has resulted mainly because of ingrained union leadership.

The main objective of Labour Day celebrations has been lost in time. Last Sunday was Labour Day and the disunity among the trade unions was laid bare for all to see. Many of these unions are political pawns, whose priorities are based on political allegiances and sympathies, rather than the best interest of the workers they regularly purport to represent. This is shameful and unacceptable. These union leaders have become so embolden as to openly demonstrate their political loyalty. The many members who prop up these failed unions, should demand better from the union leaders.

Many have noticed the bizarre position of the Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU) that failed to participate in the annual May Day march and rally. Though a few observers are surprised by this stance, this letter writer is not.

The Guyana Public Service Union failed miserably to hold the People’s National Congress- dominated Coalition Government accountable to an agreement they made with the Granger-led Government in 2015 for salary increases in 2016, 2017 and 2018. In doing so, the GPSU failed in representing the workers simply because the GPSU appears to be a political arm of the People’s National Congress Reform and seems to care little about the workers, but more for its political masters.

The GPSU had asked the failed coalition of convenience (APNU+AFC) for salary increases in 2016, 2017 and 2018 of a flat payment of $75, 000 per month to all public servants, together with a pay increase of 25 per cent across the board for 2016 and a flat payment of $7000 per month and 20 per cent increase across the board for 2017 and $9000 per month and 20 per cent increase across the board for 2018. This never happened, not even close to the proposed figures, with only single-digit increases, lest we forget.

The representation provided by the GPSU is woefully incompetent to say the least. Over time, this union and many other trade unions in Guyana have lost the confidence of its members and non-members alike. This is public knowledge. Most notably are the Guyana Teacher’s Union, the Guyana Trade Union Congress and the Guyana Public Service Union.

The trade union movement should be about defending and advancing the rights, struggles and overall interest of the workers. The disinterest in the rights and conditions of many workers are obvious by the actions of many of the union leaders. The lack of impartiality by these union leaders and the playing of politics with the lives and livelihoods of people are distasteful. Many of these union leaders are political hopefuls. This surely spells disaster for the future.

For years the Guyana Public Service Union has brought itself and its almost comical representation into question. Firstly, the GPSU as an entity is in dire need of leadership. The President of the Guyana Public Service Union is Mr. Patrick Yarde and his Vice-President is Ms Sharon Gardener. The failing of this union comes directly from the top. The leadership of the GPSU is completely ineffective. As a result, the union has been seeing a drastic decline in membership over the past few years.

Patrick Yarde has been the President of the GPSU for well over 30 years now. As a result, the GPSU has become stagnant and visionless. Numerous calls have been made for the resignation of Patrick Yarde over the years; he remains unmoved by these calls. What is his obsession with power I may not know, but it’s clear that the current leadership of the GPSU has no interest in what happens to public servants. After all, even Fidel Castro stepped down.

The leadership of Patrick Yarde has failed so immensely, that even the PNC/R overseas-based supporter Rickford Burke has added his voice in calling for the resignation of Yarde. President Ali once said, “You cannot represent workers with a political agenda.” The trade union movement in Guyana should get its act together, as it has obligations to its members to represent their interests impartially.

Yours sincerely,
Nkosei Williams