The Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU), through its Assistant General Secretary, Aslim Singh, took part in a two (2) day meeting of Latin American and Caribbean trade unions affiliated to the World Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU). The meeting was held on October 02 and 03, 2019 and took place in Buenos Aries, Argentina. It brought together some fifty (50) trade unionists from Argentina, Guyana, Uraguay, Paraguay, Chile, Cuba, Mexico, Panama, Dominican Republic, Brazil, Cuba, Nicaragua, among other countries in the region. Also attending the meeting was WFTU General Secretary, George Mavrikos who is based at the body’s headquarters in Athens, Greece.
GAWU, in its address to the meeting, used the opportunity to bring attention to the heavy burdens the workers and their families must now fetch in Guyana. Our Union pointed out that, in recent times, the workers and their families have been confronted by heavy increases in the cost-of-living occasioned by the imposition of new taxes, hiking of existing taxes and the withdrawal of subsidies to workers and pensioners. Apart from that the Union’s Assistant General Secretary told the meeting that our country’s democratic culture and rule of law are being undermined following the failure of the Government to abide by the consequences of a successful No Confidence motion in the National Assembly. The Union pointed out that the democratic and other forces in our country were now engaged in a new struggle to restore Constitutional rule through free and fair elections and rollback the hardships imposed on the working-class.
Our Union, through our intervention, also took cognizance of the growing inequality in our world, the rising spate of unemployment and the threats of wars and conflicts facing mankind. GAWU’s intervention also noted that climate change poses an existential challenge and there is a need to urgently address this issue. The rising fight back by workers and allied forces globally who are seeking a better tomorrow and life for them, their families and future generations was also highlighted. These struggles, we emphasized, augured well for the future, are inspiring and surely will contribution to the proud history of the working-class.
Participants from the various countries also informed the meeting of what is taking place in their respective nations. The story was all too familiar as the meeting learnt that workers are confronted by every conceivable mean/s to rollback their gains and undermine their victories. The meeting also heard from a delegation from Venezuela which provided an update of the circumstances in that country whose Government is facing attacks from several quarters.
General Secretary of the WFTU, George Mavrikos, in his address to the meeting, noted that workers and their organisations need to continue to raise aloft the banner of struggle and unity. He reminded that the path the working-class has travelled is paved with immense and intense struggles. Mavrikos reminded that the world of our times has several contradictions. He contended how it is we can have enough food yet there is starvation; how is it that the world economy grow yet children cannot go to school, or how is it that we have medical advancements yet people die everyday of curable diseases. He said too much resources are being spent on arms when millions are impoverished. The WFTU General Secretary urged those present to continue to fight for a better world for this and the next generations. He said we also need to ensure that all sectors are involved. Mavrikos pointed out that the youth, the women, the farmers and others are similarly affected and they need to be mobilized in our now-a-day struggles.
On the last day of the meeting (October 03) which coincides with the establishment of the WFTU, participants observed the International Day of Action. The theme of this year’s Action Day was “Struggle against Xenophobia, Racism and Fascism”. The organization has pointed out that xenophobia and racism are intentionally raised so as to divide them. The WFTU said in many places wars and conflicts have created millions of refugees who fall victims of hatred and racist discriminations. In too many countries, it noted, fascist and fascist-like parties are entering into Government and imposing many hardships and difficulties on workers. Since its establishment, the WFTU has placed at the forefront of its demands the struggle for peace and equality, fighting against Apartheid in South Africa, against racial and all types of discrimination. And, for the rights of all workers, women, migrants and refugees.
The meeting was most successful and similar activities will be organized in the coming months as the WFTU will celebrate its 75th Anniversary in 2020. At this time, the WFTU has an affiliated membership of some 96 million workers in 138 countries worldwide. It has set itself by the end of 2020 to have 100 million workers in its fold. The GAWU has been an affiliate of the WFTU for many years and has received solidarity and support during its previous struggles. In the more recent times, the organization was critical of the Government’s decision to close the sugar estates and put thousands of workers on the breadline.
