Opposition lauds High Court’s ruling on right to strike and collective bargaining

The parliamentary Opposition, A Partnership of National Unity and Alliance for Change (APNU+AFC) considers the ruling on Friday (19^th April) by High Court Judge Sandil Kissoon that the Guyana Teachers Union (GTU) led strike was legal a significant reaffirmation of workers’ rights

In a statement issued yesterday the coalition said they see the ruling as a blow against the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) government in its efforts to abuse the rights and freedoms of workers and other Guyanese and to control public institutions.

“The High Court, correctly in our view, reversed the vengeful anti-union actions of the government to deduct the salaries of teachers who participated in the month-long strike in February, and to discontinue deducting union dues from the salaries of teachers for the union. We share in the Court’s condemnation of the government’s actions as ‘arbitrary, unilateral, and discriminatory.’”

The Opposition also called on Guyanese to take note Justice Kissoon found it necessary to expose the unprofessional and deceptive conduct of senior public servants in the Ministries of Education and Labour, particularly the Chief Education Officer.  The Judge in his ruling said he found Chief Education Officer, Saddam Hussain’s  testimony not credible and his actions “self-serving .“

“While we, in the Opposition, understand the political pressures under which senior public servants work, we call on them to uphold their integrity and resist becoming pawns and lackeys of the PPP government.

“We note that the government has announced its intention to appeal the High Court’s ruling ‘to the CCJ, if necessary.’  Teachers and workers must view this as a further demonstration of a government that is obsessed with authoritarian power. Guyanese, as one, must continue to stand up and resist. The PPP government is not the government we deserve.”

Guyanese deserve a government that respects the rights and freedoms of workers and all other citizens and that embraces the principles of good governance, the Opposition asserted.  “A government that sees workers’ rights as human rights.”

The Opposition coalition said it continue to stand on the side of the GTU and the teachers of Guyana as they continue their fight for the respect, remuneration, and other rewards they duly deserve. “We are confident that justice will prevail, and the union and its capable legal team will ultimately succeed.”

The GTU approached the Court in February asking for a determination of Government’s decision to deem the teachers strike illegal, deduct pay from teachers for the days they were on strike, and cessation of deduction and remittance of union. GTU’s case was brought by its Second Vice President Julian Cambridge who was represented by attorney-at-law Darren Wade. In March the Guyana Trades Union Congress (GTUC), through its General Secretary Lincoln Lewis enjoined the case. GTUC was represented by Senior Counsel Roysdale Forde.