United May Day rally likely


Guyana Chronicle
April 25, 2000


LABOUR may rally as one this May Day, unlike last year when there was a split at the main event in Georgetown, sources indicated yesterday.

No definite position has been reached but the sources said the Trades Union Congress (TUC) has been trying to woo its biggest affiliate, the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU), back to the May Day observances.

If this happens, it will strengthen chances of the union and the smaller National Association of Agricultural, Commercial and Industrial Employees (NAACIE) rejoining the TUC from which they have pulled out.

GAWU and NAACIE refused to take part in the TUC rally at the National Park in Georgetown last year, strongly demanding that the umbrella labour group get in line with the democracy trend in the country.

The sources said TUC General Secretary, Mr Lincoln Lewis and GAWU President, Mr Komal Chand, among others, have been talking "for some time" since the split.

One source yesterday said "it appears likely that there will be one rally" but discussions were continuing on GAWU and NAACIE rejoining the TUC.

Issues like accountability by all TUC affiliates, including opening their financial records for scrutiny and accounts audited by the Office of the Auditor General, and democratising the congress are unsettled, the Chronicle understands.

Despite its size, GAWU, and other unions, have been kept out of the top TUC leadership positions through a voting system that they have long charged is stacked against them.

Labour leaders in the Caribbean have been trying to mediate in the matter.

"The talks have been going well and both sides want to have one May Day rally this year", the source said.

GAWU, the largest single union in the English-speaking Caribbean, last year marched with the TUC around the city but boycotted its rally at the National Park.

GAWU instead linked with NAACIE in a separate rally at the National Insurance Scheme sports club ground where Chand launched a stinging attack on undemocratic practices in the TUC.

Anti-government placards among the TUC marchers attacked then President Janet Jagan and a section of the gathering booed Prime Minister Sam Hinds when he arrived at the National Park and cheered Mr Desmond Hoyte, leader of the main opposition People's National Congress (PNC).

Chand said then that GAWU had marched with the TUC to show its commitment to solidarity "which we have for all the workers in Guyana and abroad."

But they kept out of the National Park rally to "show our dissatisfaction and opposition to the continuing undemocratic behaviour of some leaders of the TUC", he said.

"We no longer can accept and tolerate their orchestrated booing and howling when we take to the rostrum at the National Park as they did last year and other years", he declared.

Chand pointed out that GAWU "is denied the opportunity to contest high posts in the TUC on an equal playing field because of skewed rules of the TUC."

At the separate rally, he urged workers to demand more accountability from their union leaders.

"Workers must fight to democratise the labour movement in Guyana to build a strong democracy.

"We need a lively and democratic labour movement that recognises the need for developing the workers' welfare within the context of what is achievable", he declared.