By Nicole Telford- “Trade unions are the workers’ backbone; they support and protect workers worldwide.” So said Lincoln Lewis, General Secretary of the Guyana Trades Union Congress (GTUC). The movement for better working conditions which started officially in the 1900s, started unofficially during the era of slavery through revolts and uprisings; trade unions were formed as a result of labour being exploited, he stated. Speaking on the online Politics 101 programme, hosted by Dr. David Hinds, the veteran trade unionist delved deep into the annals of trade unionism and the architectural construct of the Trade Union Movement as it relates to labour, employees, employers and the Guyana scenario.
Hubert Nathaniel Critchlow and history of trade unionism in Guyana
The trade unionist said “when Hubert Nathanial Critchlow in 1905 challenged the merchant class and the Crown in Georgetown, I believe for Guyana, that is what ignited awareness that we can unite, regardless of the laws that are against us, and we must fight back for what is justly ours.” He noted that “when Critchlow established the trade union in Guyana it was the first in the British Empire; they hadn’t trade unions in Jamaica, in India, in the Caribbean and as far as Australia. Nowhere around. Critchlow was the man who started this process.”
Lewis explained that Critchlow was so committed to the cause that in 1926 he brought together Caribbean Labour Leaders in Georgetown to discuss issues pertinent to the welfare of workers, their families and the society as a whole, which included political participation through voting and the fight for internal self-government. According to him, labour leaders at that time saw the need to form the first British Guiana and West Indian Federation. Said history, Lewis says, will show it was the first time that the integrated movement was started in the region as well.
Hinds, paraphrasing a recent Stabroek News’ editorial, premised on the proposal submitted by the GTUC and other unions to the Government of Guyana for 2024 budgetary allocation, injected “if the editorial was asking whether the proposals would amount to anything given the attitude of governments and by extension the Guyana Government while mentioning the steadfastness of the General Secretary, of the Guyana Trades Union Congress Lincoln Lewis for staying the course.”
He queried whether he is wrong in situating labour and the labour struggle for liberation as far back as the sugar plantation, to wit the veteran trade unionist stated: “You are not wrong, under slavery it was a question of whether you are taking our labour without pay under inhumane conditions and what they were crying out for was not only payment but to be treated just and fair.”
Trade unions relationship with government
Touching on the role of the trade union movement in Guyana, Lewis stated in 1926, there were no mass-based political parties and it was the trade union movement that gave direction and led the way for Guyanese rights and internal self-government. Recounting the history, the trade unionist said when they were talking about Universal Adult Suffrage – “when they spoke of one man one vote”- it was the trade unions that started it.
Bringing the conversation to the polity of the nation, Lewis said former Guyanese Presidents Cheddi Jagan and Janet Jagan were strong trade unionists while they were politicians.
Delving further into the issue, the trade unionist cited interactions he had with Mrs. Jagan. He explained the Termination of Employment and Severance Pay Law which was commissioned in the1990s, said if a man works with an employer and wanted to resign the law had originally stated they must be paid severance.
The Guyanese employers had taken the matter to the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) Government at that time, arguing against it, Lewis explained, and the Cabinet decided to side with the employers. But it was President Janet Jagan, he said, who rejected the employers’ argument. He advised, the GTUC met with Mrs. Jagan on the matter and argued the law should not be amended to deny workers compensation for the contributions they made to their employers.
As a compromise, Lewis said, Mrs. Jagan agreed that a worker who leaves his job at age 60 or over must be entitled to severance pay. Her contention, Lewis said, was ‘I can’t understand it, if a man worked his entire life with a company why is it he cannot be paid for his contribution towards the growth of that company.’ According to the trade unionist, arising from discussions with the GTUC and employers with Mrs. Jagan, the law was changed where no more will a man work for 10 or 15 years and be paid severance he has to now work for 60 years and over. “That’s Janet for you” he said.
Touching on Forbes Burnham government, Lewis said not-withstanding the 1979 wages dispute, Burnham never took a position that he will not talk with the trade unions. It was a similar situation with the Desmond Hoyte government, he said. “These men talked with the unions.”
Going further, the trade unionist pointed out that Guyana is “at a critical point.” He reminded the benefits workers receive today, which many take for granted, are not the result of caring employers but the struggles waged by the trade unions. “What the employers and the government give the workers are the result of the struggle and achievements of the trade unions for better working conditions and standard of living. We established these foundations.”
Exploitation of workers
Pivoting to President Irfaan Ali, Lewis stated he is of working class background- his parents were teachers and benefits from the work of the Teachers Union- and the trade unions had expected him to have learned something about the input of labour to improve the lives of workers and their families.
As for Bharrat Jagdeo (Guyana’s Vice President), Lewis does not believe Jagdeo understands anything else but to impose his will on the People of Guyana and to dictate what must happen. “So here we are now, at a point , where there is a collaboration of employers, both foreign and local, to make money on the backs of workers, and the Ali/Jagdeo regime does not care a damn.”
Touching on the government’s attempt to disregard the trade union, Lewis cautioned workers to be mindful they are not contributing to their own exploitation. He cited recent action by President Ali in bypassing the Guyana Teachers Union to talk with some of the teachers directly. The president’s action, Lewis said, is a violation of the right to collective bargaining and existing agreement between the two sides, in furtherance of undermining workers’ gain and better working conditions negotiated on, not thrown at them.
In condemning the president’s action, the trade unionist has called on teachers and all unionised workers not to undermine the strength of their unions and their right to collective bargaining.
The Trade Unions will live on…..
Lewis noted too that while some may believe the trade union is no longer useful he urged them to think about a society without the trade union and whether the benefits such as eight-hour work day; 40-hour work week; overtime pay; paid vacation and sick leave; one man one vote; public education and health care; minimum wage; housing; anti-discrimination laws; landlord/tenancy protection; internal self-government, among other benefits the trade unions fought for, would still be intact. I want the workers to reflect on these, the trade unionist urged.
He also stated while there might be the view of some that the trade unions are hopeless, as he pointed out “the conditions were worse than this under slavery, our people fought back, this condition will continue for some time, but the people will fight back because as long as you have unscrupulous employers you will have workers who will band together and make the first step to have a change.”
“In the midst of all this, workers are still fighting to be unionised” Lewis stated as he cited the case of workers employed on the construction of the Linden/Mabura Road who are complaining of poor working conditions and treatment.
