Georgetown Guyana, May 01, 2013 – “A wise and frugal government, which shall leave men free to regulate their own pursuits of industry and improvement, and shall not take from the mouth of labor the bread it has earned — this is the sum of good government.”-Thomas Jefferson
The Alliance For Change salutes all workers on the occasion of Labour Day. We pay tribute to the workers of this country who, in the face of unmitigated challenges continue to persevere and be the backbone of our nation’s development.
Georgetown Guyana, May 01, 2013 – “A wise and frugal government, which shall leave men free to regulate their own pursuits of industry and improvement, and shall not take from the mouth of labor the bread it has earned — this is the sum of good government.”-Thomas Jefferson
The Alliance For Change salutes all workers on the occasion of Labour Day. We pay tribute to the workers of this country who, in the face of unmitigated challenges continue to persevere and be the backbone of our nation’s development.
The Alliance For Change believes that it is the inalienable right of every Guyanese to pursue employment without fear of discrimination or victimisation and it is the right of all workers to be represented by a trade union of his/her choice. When workers in the public service are employed under specific contractual arrangements they are often deprived of this right. The Alliance For Change calls on the government to restore the rights of Guyanese by minimising contractual employment to those instances where it is absolutely necessary and absorb the hundreds of workers on short-term contracts into the public service so that they can enjoy the protection of trade unions and of the Public Service Commission. The threat of not having an employment contract renewed because of a person’s ethnicity, religion of political affiliation is the deprivation of the person’s human rights and an affront to democracy.
It is also the right of all workers to earn a liveable minimum wage and in this regard, the Alliance For Change urges the government to increase wages and salaries for public servants and sugar workers by at least 10%. we demand employment policy based on principle, “Guyanese first” and whilst we have no problem with hiring others, we are committed to a process of Guyanisation of employment and the use of our national resources whether from revenues or loans to create growth with jobs for our young people. The record of this government on this score is dismal. The AFC calls on trade unions to close ranks and to intensify the fight on the front for a living wage.
Too many of our workers struggle every day to put bread on the table, to provide adequately for their families, they cannot afford health care, are not treated fairly, many are injured and not compensated, many are forced to endure sexual and other forms of harassment. These are conditions that must be addressed. When the rights of our workers are taken away then the values on which we hope the build a democratic society are eroded.
As we celebrate Labour Day 2013, let us resolve to ensure that the rights of workers are protected and respected. Together, we can!
