…as union leaders repeat calls for Labour Ministry

AGAINST the background of declining membership across trade unions, General-Secretary of the Guyana Trade Union Congress, Lincoln Lewis, has called for the re-establishment of a Ministry of Labour, a point reiterated by Former Minister of Labour Dr Nanda Gopaul, during the opening ceremony of the National Association of Agricultural, Commercial and Industrial Employees (NAACIE) 53rd Delegates (Third Triennial) Conference held on Thursday at the Umana Yana.
Gopaul, during his speech, also stressed the decline in trade union membership, which he says has seen a 20 percent decrease over the past three years. Delivering the feature address, Lewis, speaking before an audience that included veteran trade unionist Ashton Chase, said that the Ministry of Labour is needed to advance and protect the rights of the working class.
“In one voice, we the people must unite and call on the government to re-establish a Ministry of Labour. Where government sees it worthwhile to have a Ministry of Business to advance and protect the interest of the business class, equally the Ministry of Labour must be established to advance and protect the rights of the working class,” Lincoln said.
“This ministry is important for shaping and executing labour policies that affect all workers, past present and potential.”

Though there is a Department of Labour, Gopaul went on to point out that this is not enough, as it presents several technical problems as it pertains to laws and statutes. “The Department of Labour can never be considered a substitute for a Ministry of Labour. For you to merely operate out of a department you have to change all the laws and statutes. There are laws which call for the Minister of Labour, and other technical factors. Prosecution will depend on officials from the Ministry of Labour,” Gopaul pointed out.
He further told media operatives that: “All the laws make reference to the Ministry of Labour, to the Minister of Labour’s role in prosecution. The whole functioning of labour acts, all the necessary health and safety acts refer to the Ministry of Labour, and therefore it is opportune for us to repeat the call and support the call for a Ministry of Labour. I support the call of Lincoln and others, and I believe our president, His Excellency David Granger, should consider the re-establishment of a Ministry of Labour.”
Earlier, on the issue of membership decline, Gopaul noted that: “We have suffered as a union, our membership declined over the last three years by over 20%, and is going to decline further with the planned closure [of the sugar estates]”
The NAACIE Delegates Conference is a three-day event being held under the motto: Striving Towards Unity, while the theme is: “Galvanizing Solidarity to Advance and Protect Workers’ Rights.”

Solidarity was a common focus in the speeches of many who spoke at the event, with many praises going out to the continued united front that has been showcased by trade unions over the past year or so. This is emphasized in the coming together of the GTUC and the Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Guyana (FITUG), which have hosted joint Labour Day rallies since last year, after years of hosting separate proceedings.
Addresses were also delivered by General-Secretary of NAACIE and FITUG, Dawchan Nagasar; General- President of the CCWU, Sherwood Clarke; GAWU President Komal Chand; and Pauline Chase, who gave an address on behalf of her father, Ashton.