Unions agree to end strike - amid militant opposition
By Robert Bazil
A UNION leader last night said agreement was reached on ending the almost two-month public sector pay strike but top brass of the Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU) were up to press time still trying to sell the deal to a militant wing. A key GPSU ally in the strike which started April 29, told the Chronicle the Government, the GPSU, the Federated Union of Government Employees (FUGE) and the mediation team will today sign a terms of resumption agreement at 09:00 hours, ending the strike. The parties yesterday met to revise the preliminary agreement they signed Sunday night and the source told the Chronicle last night the sides had "already settled" the issue and have a new agreement cut out. But there was no announcement from GPSU headquarters where reporters were staked out as leaders battled to convince extremists to go with the agreement. The Chronicle understands the new agreement amended two main points - the $302M interim payout and the terms for arbitration. Under the new deal, the $302M will now be non-refundable regardless of the final ruling of the arbitrator. Originally, this would have been treated as an advance pending the arbitration. Additionally, the arbitration tribunal will be set up within five days of the signing of the terms of resumption. Up to late last night, some GPSU members were still outside the union headquarters awaiting final word from a GPSU Executive Council meeting that started in the afternoon. Extreme elements of the union, insisting on union leaders holding out for the 40 per cent wage hike demand that triggered the strike, yesterday morning attempted to maintain the pressure. As tensions grew, a ruckus broke out when two female striking Customs employees barged into an office at the GPSU headquarters at around 10:00 hours, assaulting union employee Ms. Marcia Lyte. Sources said Lyte, who was hit in the face, had heard somebody make a remark and asked who it was. One of the Customs workers admitted making the statement which led to a misunderstanding. Last night several persons outside the union's headquarters were still talking about the incident. The Customs employee reportedly challenged Lyte with a piece of wood but was held back by several other striking public servants in the union hall. The piece of wood was thrown through a window by a worker who managed to wrestle it from the Customs employee. But in the commotion, another Customs worker ran through another entrance and hit the GPSU employee in the face. A shaken Lyte was later escorted out of the building by her father who arrived subsequently. She made a report to the Brickdam Police Station and took the afternoon off. Some staffers at the GPSU headquarters told the Chronicle that some of the strikers have been turning up at the union hall meetings with hockey sticks, axe handles, and chair and table legs. The public service pay dispute arose out of the Government's position that it could not meet the 40 per cent wage increase demand. The Government countered with a 4.6 per cent offer and stated that it was willing to add another one-off payment of $100M. Government spokesmen had warned that if the workers were given a large pay increase, the capital development programme would suffer. But the unions contended that an increase in wages and salaries was an investment in the more important human capital of the country and ought to be given priority. Minister of Labour and Health, Dr. Henry Jeffrey, said that 30 of the 35 points had been dealt with before the Government and the unions broke off talks on June 7. He had hoped then that another four hours of serious discourse would have concluded the remainder and end the strike earlier. Consequently, the Government asked civil society to help mediate and a mediation team was established comprising representatives from the Trades Union Congress (TUC), the Private Sector Commission (PSC), the Guyana Council of Churches and the Guyana Bar Association. The Government and the unions submitted proposals and documents which were reviewed by the mediation team. As talks progressed towards a resolution, non-member elements infiltrated striking public servants, trying to turn them against GPSU president, Mr. Patrick Yarde and other executives. A group last week picketed Yarde's Tucville, Georgetown, home accusing him of selling out and accepting a deal from the Government. Yarde tried hard the next morning to convince them and many hurled abuses at him at the union hall. The elements are believed to be responsible for a spate of street violence and attacks on businesses and citizens. Prime Minister Sam Hinds on Friday hoped that the mediation team would be able to bring an end to the strike soon, stressing that the life blood of the economy was being throttled and there are losses that will never be regained. He urged that something would have to be done to relieve the pressures on the country, adding that the Government's preference was for an early resolution to the dispute. Commercial life in downtown had renewed energy last week as shoppers rushed to buy groceries they had been unable to get since gangs went on raids Wednesday, stealing goods and cash from vendors. Many shoppers and vendors had stayed away from the two markets and the other at La Penitence following the raids. Acting TUC General Secretary, Mr. Lincoln Lewis told the Chronicle yesterday morning that the TUC could not have a position on the preliminary agreement reached Sunday night unless it was clear about the path the union itself was taking. Stating that the TUC's policy is to embrace the position of the union, Lewis said all the TUC knew was that workers said no to the proposed terms of resumption. He said when the GPSU crystallised its position and took it to the TUC, the body would look at it from that point. On Monday night, GPSU leaders failed to sell the preliminary terms of resumption to the militant wing. Yarde and First Vice-President, Dr. Anwar Hussein were verbally abused by members who demanded that an interim payment pending arbitration be reflected as a permanent increase on their salary. At a meeting at the union's Regent and New Garden Streets, Georgetown, headquarters, Monday morning, a female striking worker attempted to physically confront Hussein and had to be restrained. A private sector source said Monday night he was hoping for an early resolution. He had warned, though, that the strike cannot continue forever, adding that many private sector businesses have passed the stage of being able to wait, and the Private Sector Commission was under tremendous pressure to ensure that the wharves are cleared. Police reported yesterday that there were no demonstrations at Government departments by striking public servants, nor incidents. A press release said Police patrols were being maintained in the city. Post Master General, Mr. Edward Noble said yesterday that 10 striking workers of the Postal and Telecommunications Workers Union (P&TWU) returned to work yesterday. Clerical workers represented by the GPSU had not returned to work yesterday. The official said that by today he will be in a better position to assess the situation at the other post offices, although there were reports that postal employees were returning to work in rural areas. He said a skeleton staff was working yesterday assisting National Insurance Scheme (NIS) pensioners. 
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