Irfaan Ali’s “Statement” on 7% pay hike “hardly discreet and presidential” -SN

Stabroek News publication in a recent Editorial, “Adhering to the law“, added its voice to the public’s angst against the manner in which the PPP regime has been conducting itself in office, describing the recent “Statement” issued by installed President Irfaan Ali targeted at unions as “hardly discreet and presidential”. “He summarily dismissed the heads of the GPSU, GTUC and Guyana Teachers’ Union as “so-called” union leaders, who were in reality “political operatives”, the editorial stated.

The Sunday Editorial stated, “The critical question which affects everyone in the nation and not just the unions and their membership, is why the government has adamantly refused to engage the union in a collective bargaining process with a view to reaching an agreement. It constitutes a breach of the law, a breach of the Constitution and a breach of the ILO conventions to which we are signatory.”

“The point is this: even if 7% were a very reasonable payment; even if the union leadership was politically aligned and doing APNU’s bidding; and even if the government had achieved miracles on the cost-of-living front, it has still broken the law. And that is a concern for all of us.”

More, In The Ring.