As Guyana celebrates 59 years of independence from colonial rule, the Guyana Trades Union Congress (GTUC) has issued an assessment of the nation’s leadership, declaring that the promise of independence remains unfulfilled for the working class—those who sacrificed the most to secure it.
In a sharply worded Independence Day message (seen below), the GTUC honoured the legacy of workers whose struggles and sacrifices helped deliver political freedom in 1966 but condemned what it sees as the systematic exclusion of today’s labour force from the benefits of Guyana’s booming oil economy.
Independence must mean something especially for those who made it possible,” the GTUC said, recalling the pivotal role of the Labour Movement, which began the fight in 1926 and became a backbone of the anti-colonial struggle. “But in today’s oil-rich Guyana, many workers find themselves shut out of the wealth they helped to make possible.”
The message contrasts Guyana’s headline-grabbing economic figures—$1.38 trillion in national spending and US$2.8 billion in projected oil revenues for 2025—with the daily struggles of ordinary citizens.
Workers, the GTUC says, are still denied livable wages, job security, decent pensions, and safe working conditions. Many, including bauxite workers, remain without termination benefits. Public servants, teachers, and those in the Disciplined Services are trapped in outdated salary bands that fail to reflect the country’s new economic reality.
The assessments didn’t stop at economics. The GTUC accused the government of eroding constitutional rights, especially the right to collective bargaining. “The very government that should protect their rights is challenging a court ruling that upholds collective bargaining—a constitutional right,” the statement noted, pointing to an ongoing legal battle that has drawn widespread condemnation.
The GTUC painted a grim picture of a nation “dangerously divided,” drifting away from its founding motto: One People One Nation One Destiny. Racial, geographic, and class-based inequalities, the union warned, are deepening, putting national unity at risk.
In response, the GTUC renewed its call for sweeping reforms, presenting an 11-point Workers’ Call to Action, including:
- Implementation of Article 13 for inclusionary democracy.
- Pegging pensions to the national minimum wage.
- Reviving the financially ailing National Insurance Scheme (NIS).
- A universal $1 million cash grant for adults, funded by oil revenues.
- Immediate honoring of past tripartite wage agreements.
- Cancellation of student debt and a reinvestment in education.
- Abolition of PAYE to alleviate pressure on working families.
The GTUC urged all Guyanese to reflect on the country’s hard-won freedom and the long road still ahead. “Our ancestors fought for our freedom. We must honour them not just in word, but in action—by continuing the fight for justice, dignity, and shared prosperity.”
As the GTUC sends out “Happy Independence” message the organisation called on Guyanese to “Let us make it mean something—for all, ” serving as a sobering reminder that independence, for many, remains more symbolic than substantive.
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GTUC’s Message: Independence Must Deliver for the Workers Who Fought for It
As Guyana celebrates its 59th Independence Anniversary, the Guyana Trades Union Congress (GTUC) honours the workers—past, present, and future—whose sacrifices, struggles, and leadership paved the way for our country’s freedom on May 26, 1966. Yet today, we must confront a difficult truth: while independence was won, its promise remains unfulfilled for too many.
Independence must mean something—especially for those who made it possible. The Labour Movement, beginning with the founding of the Trade Union Movement in 1926, was central to the struggle for self-determination. It is workers who marched, organised, and agitated to break the chains of colonial rule. But in today’s oil-rich Guyana, many workers find themselves shut out of the wealth they helped to make possible.
In 2025, Guyana boasted a $ $1.38 trillion (US$6.63 billion) and projected oil revenues of US$2.8 billion. Despite these figures, the average worker continues to struggle—denied decent jobs, livable wages, safe working conditions, and the basic dignity of a fair pension. Collective bargaining rights are under threat. Bauxite workers remain without termination benefits. The promises of independence are slipping out of reach for those who built this nation.
This is not a mixed anniversary for Guyana’s working class. Instead of inclusion, they face exclusion. Instead of opportunity, they face despair. The very government that should protect their rights is challenging a court ruling that upholds collective bargaining—a constitutional right. Worse still, Guyana in 2025 is dangerously divided, drifting from its foundational motto: “One People One Nation One Destiny.” Discrimination, marginalisation, and inequality persist across race, geography, and class, threatening the very fabric of our nation.
The GTUC renews its call for a governance model that is inclusive, constitutional, and rooted in human rights. We demand leadership that serves all—especially the vulnerable, the working poor, and those left behind.
The Trade Union Movement remains committed to fighting for a just and equitable Guyana—for a nation where workers are respected, their rights protected, and their contributions rewarded. We continue to press for proper management of our national resources—human, natural, and economic—for the benefit of all.
The Workers’ 11-Point Call to Action:
- Implement Article 13 of the Constitution to ensure inclusionary democracy and citizen participation in decision-making.
- Peg Old Age Pensions to at least the national minimum wage.
- Restore the National Insurance Scheme (NIS) to financial viability and activate unemployment benefits for displaced workers.
- Revise Salary Bands for public servants, the Disciplined Services, and teachers to match the new economic reality.
- Implement a Universal Cash Grant of $1 million to every adult Guyanese from oil revenues, as proposed by Professor Clive Thomas.
- Honour Tripartite Wage Agreements made under the APNU+AFC government for private-sector workers.
- Uphold the Right to Collective Bargaining, enshrined in Article 147 of the Constitution and protected under international labour conventions.
- Ensure Free Education from nursery to university, cancel student debt at the University of Guyana (UG), and reinvest in UG and Critchlow Labour College.
- Guarantee Equitable Access to Opportunities in oil and non-oil sectors—guided by need, merit, and fairness, not politics or ethnicity.
- Promote Political, Economic, and Social Justice—there can be no peace where justice is denied.
- Abolish PAYE to ease the burden on working-class households and stimulate real income growth.
On this 59th Independence Anniversary, GTUC urges every Guyanese to reflect on the journey we’ve made—and the battles yet to be won. Our ancestors fought for our freedom. We must honour them not just in word, but in action—by continuing the fight for justice, dignity, and shared prosperity.
Happy Independence, Guyana. Let us make it mean something—for all.
