Dear Editor,
The Guyana Power and Light Inc has approximately 1500 employees, who are mostly dedicated and diligent to the preservation, growth, sustainability and longevity of GPL’s operations – most naturally, because it is the institution that provides them with wages and salaries to maintain their families.
However, the staff of this noble institution have observed the posture of its senior management functionaries, who continue to play “ride-the-donkey” with their unions, who are duly and legally recognised to bargain on behalf of those workers.
The unions have been told, after many futile calls and letters to management, that the ‘expired’ Board of Directors is yet to decide on the percentages of increase for staff. Editor, I am no chartered accountant, but I do budget planning and basic accounting of my own salary, and I would like to assume that GPL’s Finance Division does same. I would also like to believe, Editor, that wages and salaries are a priority line item on the budget and forecasting reports agenda of GPL. So, the unions find management’s response ludicrous, because there must have been some projections and forecasting as to what the company is expecting and projecting to pay in wages and salaries.
In this regard, Editor, the unions are requesting that the Senior Minister within the Office of the President, with responsibility for Finance, Dr Singh, should step in and apply the 7% increases to semi-autonomous agencies, including GPL’s employees.
Further, it is the unions’ position that the Senior Minister should afford the employees of GPL a piece of the 400 million pie for essential workers, because their services were regarded as essential during the pandemic and Health Ordinances of the Ministry of Health. The employees of GPL worked diligently in service to country and company to keep the electricity supply and grids on at all cost.
It is the position of the employees that management should respect their unions and CLA and pay 7% increases across-the-board to all staff.
Regards,
Trade Unionist
