Worker criticises union leaders for accepting CPO's offer

THOUSANDS of disgruntled workers participated in the annual Labour Day celebration in Fyzabad on Monday to show their dissatisfaction with the Government for harsh measures affecting their livelihood.

Among them, however, was one disconcerted union member, but for an entirely different reason.

Terry Shade, a member of the Transport and Industrial Workers Union (TIWU) said he made the trek to Fyzabad to show his dissatisfaction with the trade union leaders.

“These union leaders are hypocrites. They should unite as one, come together and take a stand against the government, and say something like shut down, like protest, but they don’t do it.”

He was critical of the acceptance of the four per cent wage increase by the essential services, saying this was an opportunity for the unions to band together and reject that offer.

“They should have taken a stand and tell Rowley they not accepting no four per cent, that they want 20 per cent, but they just accepted it.”

Accusing the unions of “mamaguying the public,” Shade said he was suspicious that the Labour Day platform was being used to garner votes by some of the leaders who were due for re-election within their own organisations.

“Everybody coming here because they want votes, but these union leaders are not genuine.”

Shade was also disappointed with the turn out for the 86th anniversary of the Labour Day celebrations in Fyzabad which started with the laying of wreaths at the gravesite of Tubal Uriah Buzz Butler.

Relatives of the divers who lost their lives in the Paria tragedy also made their presence felt.

“Look at how much people here, there supposed to be more people than that, but people realising that the union is a sellout,” Shade said.

Allan Sampson from the group Workers Rights Human Rights, said he was representing security officers who were classified as “watchmen” with no security of tenure.

He said they were at the mercy of their employees as they were not represented by any bargaining bodies. He said they were excluded from representation by the Estate Police Association which represented only Estate Police Officers.

“We are security workers, but we have no security. Security officers are crying out for representation, they are losing their lives in the execution of duty but we have no compensation.”