rules and laws.”

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The Guyana Trades Union Congress (GTUC) has attacked Government over Monday’s announcementGTUC’s General Secretary, Lincoln Lewisthat it will be paying civil servants earning under $500,000 monthly a one-off bonus of $50,000 for the Christmas season.The union body, in a statement, said that the announcement though welcomed from the standpoint that workers are still struggling for a decent wage, does not negate the fact that Government at all times is required to uphold the rule of law.This is not the first time that year-end bonuses have been announced by Government.GTUC and the Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU) have both been insisting that they were not consulted, as is required by the Collective Labour Agreement in place.Consecutive administrations of the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) had also announced bonuses. The new David Granger-led administration had committed to improving relations with trade unions.“The payment of this bonus, in the absence of an engagement and concurrence with the trade unions that represent public sector workers, is another act of violating Article 147 of the Guyana Constitution and Trade Union Recognition Law Section 23 (1) and transgressing the rights of workers,” GTUC said in the statement.The union body pointed out that it was Minister of State Joseph Harmon, who in responding to the GPSU’s outcries for disregarding collective bargaining in an earlier arbitrary salary pay-out, had not only apologised for the contempt of the law, but committed that such would not be repeated.“The government is advised that consistent with industrial relations principle, this bonus is now part of theOpposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeocondition of employment for public servants. For while an employer can choose to put something in place, that employer has no authority under the law to remove it. As such, come 2016 and onward, workers shall be entitled to their year-end bonus unless the unions agree otherwise. There is an established precedent.”GTUC noted also that GuyConstruct, a former state entity, paid benefits without agreement with the trade union to workers in Region Six. When the management decided later that such will be arbitrarily withdrawn, the union challenged the decision.“The Ministry of Labour then, Chief Labour Officer, Norman Semple, made it very clear that while management may have arbitrarily put the bonus in place, it became a condition of the workers’ employment, and it cannot be removed without consent by the parties, i.e. trade union and management.”GTUC said it has noted the fact also, that Bharrat Jagdeo, the Leader of the Opposition, who “broke all the labour laws in this country”, has expressed satisfaction with the bonus.“There is no doubt, given the labour militancy of his party, that he would have been advised that the process involved in arriving at the bonus was in violation of the tenets of collective bargaining.”GTUC said that in a society where it seems as though political action is driven by who is less bad than the other, and who could get away with violating laws and transgressing rights, Jagdeo’s support for the action is premised on what can be deemed assent to his conduct as President, and collusion of a pattern of behaviour by government officials.“Industrial relations is not about gut feeling; it is guided by a body of principles, rules and laws.  GTUC thereforePresident David Grangercalls on the government at all times, to be shrewd in its decision-making and more so, to consult in order to make decisions consistent with time-honoured principles, laws and rights. While this and many other acts may be well intentioned, government has to be mindful that the process it engages in, does not undermine good intentions and bring disrepute to its stewardship.”The union body said that every aspect of collective bargaining must be embraced by the government, which is not only consistent with the laws, but also commitment given to workers during the elections campaign.“Further, statements made to the effect that Guyana is moving towards a Green Economy have to see actions consistent with same. For a Green Economy is not only about planting trees and removing the garbage, it is grounded in time-honoured principles, rules and laws.”