Combat - November/December 2012 by GAWU

Issue#:6 Volume#: 33

Combat Voice of the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU)

Editorial | Editorial | Editorial | Editorial

As the year ends... A future of Hope or Uncertainty

Besides the Christian Festival of Christmas, as celebrated in our Guyana, December signals the end of another calendar year. Another twelve-month period which begs for review, assessment and even cautious predictions as to our people’s collective future. What, in this now ending year, was and is there to prepare us for the advent and reality of 2013. On behalf of GAWU, Guyana’s singular largest workers’ trade union and bargaining agent, union, industrial and national events are viewed through the prism of workers’ perspective. All the constitutional, political, economic and sociocultural happenings are analysed in terms of peoples’, especially workers’, welfare. What is the year-end Balance Sheet? It would be fair to conclude that politics and economics dominated national life in 2012. From the beginning of the Tenth Parliament, wherein the National Assembly is voted with an Opposition one-seat majority, there has been turmoil where peaceful, productive co-existence and parliamentary harmony were needed. GAWU and the nation’s labour class watched on as the Opposition enacted Budget cuts for fiscal year 2012; as numerous court challenges were mounted against the Opposition positions in the Assembly; and, as the year ends, there is still no resolution or determination as the legislative/judicial tussles are arbitrated. As the second half of 2012 witnessed disturbances with deaths at Linden; fiery protests at Agricola; disturbing escalations of criminal and domestic violence in too many communities, Guyanese wondered at the negativity which attracted – and wasted – millions and millions in scarce finance, as properties were burnt, Commissions of Inquiry mounted, and discontent was prominent. Continued on page eight COMBAT: November/December, 2012

November/December 2012

GAWU’s Christmas Message 2012 This is the season to be “jolly”, they say. We still yearn for peace and goodwill to all mankind, wherever they are. GAWU wishes Guyana well, at this time when the national/public holidays can be used for both merriment and reflection. GAWU hopes that the harmony which abounds at this time can inspire both leaders and citizens to carry that peaceful, productive co-existence into the New Year of 2013. Masquerade bands, such as the one pictured above, are usually found frolicking through the Merry Christmas and streets of Georgetown and other areas during the Christmas Season Hopeful, Happy New Year The all-pervasive Festival of Christmas, with all its 2013. reflection and celebration, is with us swiftly again. Rooted in the biblical prophecies and fulfillment of the Christian Faith, Christmas offers us numerThe Guyana Agriculous images and traditions. Indeed, many of the ortural and General Workigins of the latter had nothing to do with the early ers Union (GAWU) sends Believers welcoming the Baby from Bethlehem as its urgent best wishes to you, Your Excellency, one of the bases of their Faith. However, the real popular President of reason for the season triumphs over all the comthe Bolivarian Repubmerce and manipulation of the wondrous Hope of lic of Venezuela, Hugo Christmas. Chavez. With those reflections, GAWU joins Guyanese Because you are the Christians as their community observes this joyheroic leader of our ous occasion on their calendar. For it is difficult to Western neighbour and escape the various elements and facets of the festhe populist inheritor of tival. Most Guyanese groups and households volthe legacy of Simon Bountarily participate because, like Easter, Mashramlivar, we know that your work for all the people of ani, Phagwah or Diwali, all Guyanese take notice of Venezuela is not at all over. You stand out at one of the greatest working people leaders of our time. Christmas. It comes a few days before our calendar The expertise and medical technology of our frateryear ends. We, therefore, take the opportunity to nal comrades, the Cubans, along with the prayers refresh the spirit and refurbish our homes and surof the continent’s millions, will go a long way in asroundings, however haughty or humble. sisting you, dear Excellency, to heal. That is the spirit promoted in all of us who yearn Your recuperation, however slow, must be sure. for the hope and potential embodied in the Christ GAWU expresses the solidarity of thousands of Child, according to Christian belief. His own Birth, Guyanese workers who join with Venezuelan mawas reportedly the most humble there could be. jorities in wishing Your Excellency a speedy and Then there was persecution and flight from his complete recovery. homeland, until circumstances changed in his As we stated earlier herein: your passionate, sincountry. gle-minded purpose to lift your people to the pinnacle of national success is still a work in progress. So familiar are those themes in our modern times GAWU looks forward to your continued stewardthat, right now, we Guyanese are as resilient as ship when the best of health returns. saying “hope springs eternal in the human breast”.

Get well, President Chavez

Page One

BEV workers to share $10 million in bonuses

Essequibo - the birthplace of the Sugar Industry

On December 03, 2012, the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union and BEV Processors Inc agreed to the payment of ten million dollars ($10m) as year-end bonuses to the Company’s 294 unionized employees. This year’s bonus is greater than the Company’s bonus in 2011. Apart from the bonus, each employee would separately be provided with a sum of three thousand dollars ($3,000) for the purchase of

Sugar cane was introduced to the New World with the arrival of Columbus. This crop has, in no small measure, been responsible for the patterns of the social and industrial developments that have emerged in the Caribbean and Latin America. In Guyana, it was on the banks of the Essequibo River that the sugar industry was born. The beginning was influenced by a number of factors, including trading enterprises, safety precautions, and tidal considerations. It was not until much later that the Dutch discovered the fertility of the coastal lands. In its genesis, therefore, the sugar cane was at first an up-river cultivated crop. Early settlements from which sugar was produced sprung up along the banks of the Essequibo River. In 1609, it is said, James Harcourt recognised the suitability of Guyana’s soil for cane cultivation. However, it was not until 1658 that serious cultivation of the crop began

a hamper. The Company’s Managing Director and the Union agreed that the Christmas season necessitated some bonus payments to all employees, as was done in the past years. The employees were consulted on the sum of the bonus, and they expressed their support and appreciation to the Union on its achievement of same.

Improvement in pay and benefits for Berbice Bridge employees - two-year wage/salary agreement inked On November 26, 2012, the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) and the Berbice Bridge Company Inc (BBCI) signed a two (2)-year wage/salary agreement whereby the Company’s 37-member workforce, through amendments to the Collective Labour Agreement, would receive as follows:-

and a Medical Scheme requiring no contributions from the employees. The Union now awaits the Management’s decision to establish a Pension Scheme for the employees.

The Union, in approving the twoyear Agreement, insisted on the inclusion of an inflation clause requiring the Company to approve an 1. An increase in wages/salaries by increase in excess of six (6) per cent 6 per cent for year 2012, and a for next year in event that the inflalike percentage increase for year tion rate for 2013 rises above five (5) per cent. Over the last three (3) 2013 2. Increases in meals allowances years (2009 – 2011), the inflation rate in Guyana has averaged about 4 per from $500 to $560 3. Increases in standby allowance cent. from $200 to $225 BBCI is a private investment Com4. Payment of a night premium of pany charged with managing the op$180 erations of the Berbice Bridge, which Separately, the Company, taking into spans from D’Edward, West Coast account the Union’s call, has intro- Berbice to Palmyra Village, Corenduced a Group Life Insurance Scheme tyne, a distance of 1.57 kilometres.

Noble House employees to benefit from $8.7m in bonus The approximate 240-person workforce at Noble House Seafoods Limited (NHSL) benefitted from a yearend bonus totalling $8.7m arising out of an agreement reached on December 17, 2012 between the Company and the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU).

the average bonus per worker is about $36,000, which is almost $6,000 higher than the quantum received by the average employee last year (2011).

The Company’s workers were looking forward to obtaining a year-end bonus, and they are indeed pleased with the payment they have reThrough the agreement reached, ceived.

COMBAT: November/December, 2012

in the Pomeroon. By the early 1660s sugar cane was being cultivated in the neighbourhood of Kyk-over-al, in the Mourca River District. Later, there were to be thriving sugar plantations at Hampton Court, with its four separate estates. There was Walton Hall, Devonshire Castle, Hampton Court and Windsor Castle. Then there was La Belle Alliance, Reliance, Henrietta, Mainstay, Land of Plenty, Aberdeen, Affiance and Aurora. Then there were sugar estates on the Essequibo Islands. On Wakenaam and Hog Island, there was Caledonia, Zeelandia, Meer Zorg and Maria’s Pleasure. On Leguan, there was Enterprise, Henrietta, Success, Maryville and Blenheim. So, while the sugar cane crop started on the banks of the Essequibo, it later moved to the Demerara coast and Berbice, where it withstood the winds of change - technological advances - to remain, up to this time, an economic force in the nation.

DTL workers receive wage/ salary hike The seventy-four (74)-person workforce at the Demerara Timbers Limited (DTL) has benefitted from a rise in pay arising out of representation by the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU). The new rates of pay applicable to sawmill operators are as follows:1. Labourers from $1,000 per day to $2,000 per day 2. Skilled Workers from $1,200 per day to $2,500 per day 3. Heading (Band Mill) operator from $1,500 per day to $3,000 per day

$1,200 per day to $2,500 per day The increases range from 16.9 per cent to 67.4 per cent, and are basically in keeping with the new statutory rates set out for sawmill and timber grant workers, retroactively approved by the Minister of Labour with effect from June 01, 2012. The Union and the Company are yet to conclude a settlement on meals allowance, night premium and station allowance.

Demerara Timbers Limited (DTL) is owned by the Prime Group, which is based in Singapore. The Company The rates applicable to Timber Grant enjoys forest concessions from the state at Mabura Hill in Region 10 and employees are as follows:Siparuni in Region 2. The Company’s 1. Labourers from $1,100 per day to workforce is based at Mabura, where $2,000 per day the Company houses its workers and 2. Skilled Workers from $1,200 per provides them with potable water and electricity. There, at Mabura, the day to $2,500 per day 3. Tractor Operators: Heavy Duty Company operates a sawmill which (Track Machine) Operators from produces from logs, construction ma$1,300 per day to $3,000 per day, terials for export. It also exports logs. and Wheel Type Operators from Page Two

FITUG 4th Conference concludes successfully Another important f e a ture of FITUG’s Confere n c e was the elect i o n of the Federat i o n ’s officials, w h o along w i t h Delegates and Observers attending the Conference n i n e The Federation of Independent Trade Teachers Union (GTU), Coretta Mc(9) other memUnions of Guyana (FITUG) concluded Donald, and by the Education Officer bers constitute its 4th Conference on November 07, of the Guyana Public Service Union the FITUG Execu2012 with the full participation of its (GPSU), Vera Norton. Cde Leroy Trottive Council. Those affiliates – the Guyana Agricultural man, General Secretary of the Barbaelected were as foland General Workers Union (GAWU), dos Workers Union (BWU), also atlows:- Cdes Carvil the Guyana Labour Union (GLU), the tended the historic Conference. Duncan, President; National Association of Agricultural, Komal Chand, First Commercial and Industrial EmployThe President of the Co-operative Vice President; ees (NAACIE), and the Clerical and Republic of Guyana, His Excellency Sherwood Clarke, Commercial Workers Union (CCWU). President Donald Ramotar, delivered Second Vice Presithe Conference’s feature address and dent; Kenneth President Donald Ramotar delivering the Feature Address to the ConThe Opening Session, which was declared the Conference open. In his Joseph, General ference chaired by FITUG’s First Vice Presi- address, among other things, he inSecretary; Seepwhat is happening in the country and dent Cde Komal Chand, was attended vited the Trade Union movement to aul Narine, Treasurer; Derek Thakur, society, and that the right to protest by eighty (80) delegates representing dialogue with him from time to time Organising Secretary; Aslim Singh, and assemble must be done within the affiliated unions: a number of on labour matters, so as to assist him Education Secretary; and Commitits limitations, and not to obstruct special invitees, including prominent and his Government to ensure there tee Members: Narda Mohamed, and destroy. He also made reference Ministers of Government; mem- is always a realistic labour perspecElmy Ishmael, Jagdeo Paul, Bhagmat to the development taking place bers of the Diplomatic Corps; repre- tive in existence, and which his GovHochand, Savitri Thomas, Michael across the country, and the need to sentatives of business organizations ernment will uphold. His address was Stephens, Winston Joseph, Floyd protect and enhance those gains. He and other distinguished invitees. A described as insightful and labourThompson and Althea Lindo. warned delegates not to follow those six (6)-person delegation from the friendly. who seek to misguide them, as it Amalgamated Transport and GenThe Conference also unanimously would serve to reverse the developeral Workers Union (AT&GWU) also FITUG’s General Secretary, Cde Kenapproved resolutions on Local Govment which has taken place over the graced the Opening Session. neth Joseph, reviewed the Organiernment Elections, on Tax Reform, on recent years. sation’s work from the conclusion Hire Purchase Legislation, on Public Cde Chand, in his welcoming re- of its last Conference in July, 2010 Transport, on the National Insurance While the Conference was deliberatmarks, drew the attention of del- to the present time. Delegates from Scheme (NIS), on National Minimum ing, FITUG received a letter from the egates to the economic crisis in the different unions made a number of Wage, and on Climate Change and Caribbean Congress of Labour (CCL), world arising from austerity and pain- contributions to the General SecEnvironment. which said in part: “Please be respectful measures which are imposed on retary’s Report. Suggestions were fully advised that the General Council the people, and the dire effects the made by delegates about issues and The Conference concluded with of the CCL, meeting in Barbados on measures are having on the workers, matters which should receive public the Charge being delivered by Cde the 5th and 6th of October, 2012, students, pensioners and others. He commentary from time to time. DelAshton Chase, S.C., O.E. Cde Chase, unanimously accepted FITUG’s apsaid, however, that there is a sharp- egates requested that the leadership in his remarks, reminded delegates plication for affiliation…”. The letter ening of the struggles, and the fight- of FITUG should encourage other Unof the history of trade unionism in was signed by the General Secretary back by the workers will undoubtedly ions to become its affiliates, and they Guyana, and the development of of the CCL, Cde Chester Humphrey. It force a reversal of the harsh meas- were pleased with the presence of the field over the years. He said that follows that the GTUC’s affiliation to ures. three (3) non-affiliated Trade Unions while a trade union’s foremost conthe august body was rescinded in orat the Opening Session of the Confercern is related to wages and salaries, der for FITUG’s affiliation to become Live messages were read by the ence. all unions must be concerned with a reality. General Secretary of the Guyana COMBAT: November/December, 2012

Page Three

Yes to Democracy, No to Foreign Intervention!

We, the undersigned, who are part of an international civil society increasingly worried about the awful bloodshed of the Syrian people, are supporting a political initiative based on the results of a fact-finding mission which some of our colleagues undertook to Beirut and Damascus in September 2012. This initiative consists in calling for a delegation of high-ranking personalities with international public lives to go to Syria in order to discuss the current situation with the main political actors, and to pave the way for a negotiated political solution of the armed conflict in Syria, which seriously threatens world peace and the existence of Syria as an independent and sovereign nation. In this perspective, we fully support the following declaration: All eyes are presently on the unfolding war in Syria that is drowning its people in blood. We are highly concerned, and not only because the conflict has been acquiring a dangerous geo-political dimension. The legitimate and, at the beginning, also peaceful movement of the Syrian people -- along with their Arab brothers -- for democratic rights is also in danger of being converted into a sectarian civil war with massive regional and international involvement. We are conscious that no side can win such a war of attrition in the near future whilst the Syrian and Arab people’s resistance against Western and Israeli predominance as well as the regional dictatorships is being threatened, and could eventually even be destroyed. In order to save these achievements and to continue the struggle for democracy, social justice and self-determination of the people, a political solution of the conflict by means of a negotiated settlement is indispensable. Only in this way can religious sectarianism be curbed, foreign intervention averted, and the demo-

cratic mass movement prevail. We therefore take action in support of a political solution to end the bloodshed with the following criteria: 1. We fully support the beginning of a political process which should start by negotiations and a cease fire. This should go hand in hand with a process of de-escalation and de-militarisation that allows the Syrian people to receive the help they urgently need, and express their will peacefully and eventually at the ballot boxes. 2. Since any solution must be based on the sovereign will of the Syrian people, we reject categorically any kind of military intervention, wherever it may come from. 3. To respect the sovereign right to self-determination means respecting the democratic and social rights of the vast majority of the people. Therefore, no major political force should be excluded a priori. A sustainable, peaceful settlement must be based on a constitutional process which allows free elections organised by a transitional government as a result of negotiations. 4. Since the conflict has seen a growing instrumentalisation of sectarian affiliations, which hampers the political unification of the people based on democracy, we support all initiatives and tendencies among the existing political and military forces which are promoting inter-confessional tolerance on the base of the same rights for all citizens. By signing this declaration, we give our full support to the international delegation heading for Syria in the beginning of 2013, and are hoping that this initiative will make a significant contribution to peace in the area. Signed by:1. Gianni Vattimo, Philosopher - Italy

2. Hans von Sponeck. Retired UN diplomat, university professor - Germany 3. Ernesto Cardenal, Poet, Sandinista politician and theologian of liberation - Nicaragua 4. Mairead Maguire, Peace Nobel Price Laureate Northern Ireland 5. Norman Paech, Professor for Int’l Law, University Hamburg, MP for the “Linke” - Germany 6. Margherita Hack, Astro-physicist - Italy 7. Manolis Glezos, Resistance Fighter against Nazi occupation - Greece 8. Annette Groth, MP for the “Linke” - Germany 9. Samir Amin, Economist, director of the Third World Forum - Senegal 10. Father Alex Zanotelli, Catholic priest - Italy 11. Francois Houtart, Sociologist of religion and cofounder of the World Social Forum - Belgium 12. Gretta Duisenberg, Free Gaza Movement, Stop the Occupation - Netherlands 13. Paul Larudee, Free Gaza Movement, Free Palestine Movement, Global March to Jerusalem - USA 14. Eren Keskin, Human rights activist and lawyer - Turkey 15. Niema Movassat, MP for the “Linke” - Germany 16. Gilberto López y Rivas, Social anthropologist - Mexico 17. Carlos Varea González. CEOSI, www.iraqsolidaridad.org - Spain 18. Leo Gabriel. Social anthropologist, journalist, member of the Executive Committee of the World Social Forum - Austria 19. Vangelis Pissias, Professor in International Economic Affairs, leading organiser of Gaza Freedom flotillas - Greece

The power of example - a conversation with labour leader Joe Burns By Joe Burns and Matthew CunninghamCook Many, if not most, in the labour movement were deeply disappointed with the results of the Wisconsin uprising, from which the antilabour establishment has emerged almost entirely victorious. A few months after the uprising began, Joe Burns, a labour lawyer and former union president, published Reviving the Strike: How Working People Can Regain Power and Transform America, to critical acclaim. In the wake of that struggle, in which strike tactics were shied away from, the book argues that the only way to reverse four decades of labour’s decline is by bringing back the militant tactics that built the labor movement to begin with — notably, industry-wide strikes with disregard for unjust labour laws. As Waging Nonviolence’s new “Wildcat Winter” series indicates, we seem to be at the precipice of a revival like the one Burns called for. Chicago teachers struck in September, followed by nearly half a dozen teachers’ strikes in suburban Chicago, the Walmart strikes up and down the supply chain, the just-settled longshore clerks’ strike on the West Coast, and now the striking fast food workers in New York City. I talked with Joe to hear from him on this ongoing Wildcat Winter. In the past few months, we seem to have seen an upsurge in successful strikes. What COMBAT: November/December, 2012

is the significance of this? Clearly we’ve seen a change in the past couple of months in terms of strike activity increasing. In labour history, workers tend to strike in waves, because the power of example leads other workers to strike. First, with public employees and teachers, the Chicago Teachers Union went on strike. They had overall a very successful outcome. So other teachers unions have decided to strike. Second, you’ve seen other places where workers are striking to defend themselves, with very aggressive employers demanding concessions. In California, the ILWU is using a strike to defend decades of gains made by workers. The third thing — and this is a real shift — is the use of the strike as an organizing tool. That’s a big change over what has been happening over the past couple of decades. Fast food and Walmart workers are using the strike as both a tool of organizing and demanding improvements from employers. In the past, new union organizing has been seen as slowly building on one-on-one discussions, and this is really different because, if you look at the history, when we’ve made real gains, it’s been when we’ve shifted to a strike-based model. How do you think the wave can be expanded? It’s going to have to be expanded, but it’s going to be difficult because the rules of the game are so tilted in favour of employers.

Employers have a lot of advantages under the system of labour law. What organizers will run up against is that we’re going to have to directly confront what I call the system of labour control — the set of labour laws that have been put into place to make it difficult to win strikes. For now ,organizers have been embracing this tactic. To take a historical example: In the 1960s, millions of public workers joined trade unions, and they did it through strikes. Starting with the New York teachers, we saw this incredible strike wave, and that’s really how public workers won their unions. This was the power of example, unions refusing to obey unjust labor laws, and it was a grassroots rebellion. And, as I discuss in Reviving the Strike, it was a very similar pattern in the 1930s. Many of these recent strikes, especially with the fast food and Walmart workers, occurred among what many theorists of labour have labelled the “precariat” — that is, people doing types of work that tend to have low job security and high turnover, and which are often part-time and subcontracted. For many years, unions avoided organizing these kinds of workers due to the difficulties of organizing such a disparate workforce. How do you see victories as possible with these new tactics? A couple points. One is that, in a lot of industries in the 1930s, the organizational

work was very precarious, and it became one of the main demands of the unions to make jobs permanent, with job security, and full-time employment. This was something they were able to change through struggle. If you look at longshore workers in the 1930s, you had to be called for work. Auto work was very intermittent and high-turnover. Trucking was the same thing. What unions did is they disregarded the rules that employers had set up, and as a result made major gains. For the Teamsters, it was a question of whether you had a union card, not whether you were an employee or contractor. That’s the key part of it — it could be changed. If you jump forward to today, the same thing holds true. Employers are able to use their advantages under labour law to structure work in a particular fashion, and it’s the responsibility of unions to fight against this. Could I sum that up like this: Unions need to organize work, not employees? The Justice for Janitors campaign is the best example of this. SEIU confronted an industry that had subcontracting, and if you started to organize, they would just hire another contractor. But they took the entire industry on — and that’s what you see with groups like warehouse workers and more geographic organizing of the restaurant workers in New York City — rather than the traditional shopby-shop organizing that has been foisted Continued on page five Page Four

When mainstream economists discover Karl Marx

Karl Marx

By Ann Robertson and Bill Leumer In his recent New York Times op-ed piece, Princeton professor and regular columnist for The New York Times Paul Krugman observed: “The American economy is still, by most measures, deeply depressed. But corporate profits are at record high. It’s simple: profits have surged as a share of national income, while wages and other labour compensation are down. The pie isn’t growing the way it should – but capital is doing fine by grabbing an ever-larger slice, at labour’s expense.” And then he added with almost shocked incredulity: “Wait – are we really back to talking about capital versus labour? Isn’t that an old-fashioned, almost Marxist sort of discussion, out of date in our modern information economy?” This is exactly the conflict that Marx identified as the fundamental, inescapable contradiction of the capitalist system that would eventually create the conditions of its downfall: there is a tendency for the owners of businesses, the capitalists, to accumulate ever-vaster wealth while the people who work for them experience a declining standard of living. Marx supported this conclusion by offering a description of the fundamental operating mechanism of capitalism. Capitalism is based on the principle of private ownership and competition. Private businesses compete with one another for customers, and those who fail to attract a sufficient number eventually perish. But in order to attract customers, businesses must maximize the quality of COMBAT: November/December, 2012

their product while minimizing its price. If two products embody the same quality but one is cheaper, customers, in pursuit of their self-interest, will purchase the cheaper version, all other factors being equal. This means that capitalists must constantly attempt to minimize the price of their product simply for the sake of their own survival. If a business devises a way to lower costs, it can capture the market. But, as Marx pointed out, labour costs are a huge factor in determining the price of a product. So those businesses that minimize labour costs can prevail in the dog-eat-dog world of capitalism. For this reason, a downward pressure on wages and benefits is always operating to one degree or another. But Krugman made no reference to this aspect of Marx’s analysis and instead identified two other factors that contribute to the growing inequality in wealth between capitalists and workers, both of which are discussed by Marx. The first factor involves the introduction of technology into the labour process, i.e. “labour-saving” technology. In other words, machines replace workers or reduce the amount of skill required in the labour process. To give a current example, software has been developed that analyzes legal documents at a fraction of the time it takes lawyers, while costing much less. Accordingly, many well-paid lawyers lose their jobs to such software. Living during the industrial age, Marx supplied many such examples. Krugman referred to his second explanatory factor that increases inequality between capitalists and labour as the “monopoly power” of large corporations where “increasing business concentration could be an important factor in stagnating demand for labor, as corporations use their growing monopoly power to raise prices without passing the gains on to their employees.” Here Krugman is approaching the heart of Marxist theory. Krugman is basically arguing that large corporations use their power to override purely economic trends and simply demand that their employees work for less. But this is precisely the point of Marxism, although from the other direction. Marx persistently argued that capitalism could not function without the willingness of the working class to perform the work. When workers organize and engage in collective action by withholding their labour, the balance of power shifts in favour of the workers, who can then demand higher wages as a condition for their return to work, as the ILWU (International Longshore and Warehouse Union) recently did on the West Coast, and the teachers did in Chicago.

Amazingly, Krugman never mentions the decline of organized labour as a huge factor explaining the decline of the standard of living of working people, adding that there has been so little discussion of these developments. But others, especially former Secretary of Labour Robert Reich, have discussed these trends and identified the decline of labour as a major factor. In the 1930s, when labour unions were tenaciously fighting for working people, huge gains were made in terms of salaries and benefits. They conducted militant sit-down strikes and mobilized tens of thousands of people from the community to support labour’s struggles. Their successes were, to a large degree, responsible for the emergence of the so-called middle class that thrived in the 1950s and 1960s. Workers who are organized, acting both collectively and forcefully, can change the economic landscape. But once organized labour becomes complacent and relaxes its guard and ceases to struggle, the laws of capitalism ineluctably grind down their gains and the growing inequality returns until workers again rise up. Marx argued that eventually workers would see the futility of this repeating cycle, reject capitalism altogether, and begin to construct a socialist society built on entirely humanistic and demo-

cratic principles. In a recent New York Times article on unionizing workers at the bottom of the pay scale, a union organizer was quoted as saying, “We must go back to the strategies of nonviolent disruption of the 1930s.” Currently organized labour is all but dying out. Strikes are like an endangered species. Rather than engaging in militant struggles, union members are urged to elect Democrats who then call on workers to accept sacrifices. AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka has called on working people “to fight like hell” to resist cuts to Social Security and Medicare. But these are just words. To this date, the unions have failed to mobilize their members to stage massive demonstrations across the country against cuts to these popular social programs – demonstrations that could culminate in hundreds of thousands of working people descending on Washington, D.C. to make their demands clear to the Obama administration and the rest of the politicians. Without the unions taking the lead in this struggle, there is little individual workers will be able to accomplish. And if the unions refuse to return to their more militant roots, but remain invisible, economists like Paul Krugman will continue to ignore their existence and overlook their current historic failure to defend working people.

The power of example Continued from page four upon unions by traditional labour law. About 10 years ago, activist and scholar Dan Clawson wrote The Next Upsurge, which argued that labour movements emerge as part of broader surges. Do you see what’s happening now as potentially the precipice of the type of movements we saw among workers in the private sector in the 1930s? I think it could be the beginning of one. Certainly the conditions are there, and there’s an understanding among unions and organizers that how they do things needs to change. That’s really been the key to the recent breakthroughs: new kinds of organizing. We can’t push this forward, however, without confronting the system of labour control. Labour laws are so stacked in favour of employers that it doesn’t necessarily matter how creative we are, we’re always going to come up against the limits of a rigged system. If we’re going to move forward, we have to figure out both the necessity and the ways of being able to violate these unjust labour laws. If we look at labour history, that was clearly a necessity both in the 1930s and the 1960s, the two greatest upsurges of the last century. In southern Europe and in South America, arguably the two places in the “West” where the labour movement is the most

vibrant, there seems to be a much greater cognizance among working people that they are locked in a struggle with capitalism. Do you think that that has to be replicated here in the United States? Successful trade unionism necessarily requires confronting capitalism. The reason that’s the case is because effective unionism challenges the ability of capital to operate. You’re basically interfering with the sale of human labour, which is the key component of capitalism. That’s what I talk about in my book; even if we think about conservative American Federation of Labor officials of 100 years ago, their underlying philosophy of human labour as not being a commodity was actually quite radical. What’s happened over the last 60 to 70 years in the labour movement is that we’ve embraced fairly conservative ideas which allow us to have unionism, but only within a framework that respects and allows the ability of capital to operate freely. What do you think needs to come next? It’s very hopeful that we’ve seen a turn in the labour movement back toward the strike and back toward grassroots activism and workplace-based activism. We’ve had a lot of other ideas that we’ve tried in the last 20 years, but returning to a very traditional and proven strategy is really our only hope. Page Five

FITUG in solidarity with striking European Workers

GAWU pickets US Embassy

- denounces Israeli aggression against Palestine

Picketers in front of the US Embassy, first from the left is Guyana’s Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister, Anil Nandalall

Thousands of workers taking part in a protest in Greece on November 14, 2012 as part of a continent-wide strike against the harsh austerity measures being implemented in several EU nations

The Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Guyana (FITUG), whose affiliates represent some 35,000 Guyanese workers in strategic sectors of the Guyanese economy, express our full support and solidarity with the thousands of European workers who took strike action on November 14, 2012. Workers in many cities in Greece, France, Spain, Portugal, Italy, as well as other countries, protested the harsh austerity measures being implemented in several European Union (EU) nations.

Workers and citizens are paying the price for the crisis. The latest figures from the European Commission show the European economy is shrinking in 2012, which confirms that the policy of co-ordinated budget cuts undermines rather than supports a potential recovery.

The FITUG solidarity to the continent-wide struggles of the European working peoples and youth necessarily entails our strongest condemnation of the brutality meted out to Many countries in Europe, on the the millions of demonstrators on the brink of financial and economic col- streets by the State at the behest of lapse, have been forced to lay off the ruling elites. thousands of workers, impose wage cuts and freezes, and increase the re- FITUG views the continuing struggles tirement age. At the same time, they by the European working peoples as are increasing taxes, privatizing state historic. For the first time in decades, agencies and social programmes, and if not in history, the world has, and slashing benefits. The International is experiencing, the continent-wide Monetary Fund (IMF), the European co-ordination of workers struggles Central Bank (ECB) and the European in defence of their legitimate rights, Commission have argued that these interests, livelihood and genuine dereforms are necessary to ensure fis- mocracy. This is an important prececal balance, but this will only serve to dent in our times, which the internadeepen poverty and destitution. tional working class will certainly find useful in their continuing struggles The measures, moreover, are seen as for social justice and an alternative an attempt by the ruling classes and socio-economic system. their lackey politicians and agents to justify the dismantling of the Euro- Solidarity to the European peoples’ pean social model. The measures be- struggles! ing imposed will only serve to exac- Workers of the World, Unite! erbate inequality and foster injustice. COMBAT: November/December, 2012

Members of the Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Guyana (FITUG), including members of the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) and the National Association of Agricultural, Commercial and Industrial Employees (NAACIE), along with the Peoples Progressive Party (PPP) and the Guyana Rice Producers Association (GRPA), on November 21, 2012, staged a spirited picketing exercise outside the United States Embassy in light of US’s huge military and financial support to Israel, which, between November 14 and 21, 2012, carried out a number of aerial bombings in Palestine. During the course of the Israeli operations, more than 1,500 sites were bombed in the Gaza Strip, and over 150 Palestinians were killed. The over-150 picketers bore placards with slogans such as “GAWU stands fully behind the people of Palestine”; “The U.S. must stop supporting Israeli’s oppression of the people of Gaza”, and “Israelis murder of men, women and children is callous”. Prominent among the protesters was Guyana’s Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandalall, whose placard bore the slogan “Israel’s policy towards Gaza is contrary to the Rule of Law”. The purpose of the exercise was to give solidarity and support to the Palestinian people, and to call for stopping of the senseless killings by Israel, returning lands that rightfully belong to the Palestinians, and that Palestine needs to be recognised as an independent state.

In a related matter, the GAWU welcomed the historic decision taken at the United Nations to grant Palestine “non-member observer State” status. Our Union, in a statement, called for pressure to be put on the United States, which is the main backer financially and militarily of Israel, to press Israel to discontinue its recent plan for the construction of an additional three thousand (3000) homes in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, and the withdrawal of Israel from the occupied territories. In welcoming this important decision taken by the U.N, the GAWU takes the opportunity to express appreciation for Guyana’s stand in co-sponsoring the resolution. At the same time, we are dismayed by the position taken by the nine (9) countries who voted in opposition to a just Palestinian cause. The Palestinian Ministry of Health reported that 191 Palestinians, including children, women and elderly, have been killed by Israeli military fire in Gaza in November, 2012, and that the number of injured Palestinians in the same month stands at 1,492. The Health Information Centre of the Ministry reported that 48 children, including 16 under the age of five, have been killed by Israeli missiles and shells, in addition to 12 women and 20 elderly. The Centre added that 1492 Palestinians, including 533 children (195 under the age of 5), 254 women and 103 elderly have been injured by Israeli fire and shells. Page Six

GAWU Credit Union successfully concludes 19th AGM

- G$11.7 million declared as surplus

GFC workers receive wage/salary hike and year-end bonus The Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) and the Guyana Forestry Commission (GFC), on December 06, 2012, signed an agreement for an across-the-board increase of five (5) per cent for 2012. Earlier this year, employees benefited from increases in field allowance, out-of-pocket allowance, camp allowance, station allowance and commuted overtime. The Commission, in keeping with representation by the Union, an-

nounced that it would approve a year-end bonus, expected to be a month’s pay, to each employee. The Guyana Forestry Commission (GFC) is responsible for the Management and control of our country’s forests, specifically to maintain its sustainability. In 2002, our Union, the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU), secured bargaining rights on behalf of the Commission’s 250-person workforce.

“Capitalist barbarism, crisis and Imperialist wars or socialism”

Some of the Credit Union members who attended the meeting

The nineteenth (19th) Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers’ Cooperative Credit Union Society Ltd, Reg. # 2000, was successfully held on November 25, 2012 at the Umana Yana, Kingston, Georgetown. The gathering of approximately 250 members heard the report from the Committee of Management, which reviewed the work of the Society since its 18th AGM in October, 2011. Reports were also presented by the Society’s Supervisory Committee, and the Report of the Auditor which audited the Society’s financial affairs for the calendar year 2011 was likewise presented. According to the Audit Report which was prepared by Y. Ishmail and Associates on behalf of the Co-operative Division of the Ministry of Labour, Human Services and Social Security, the Society realized a surplus of $11,722,631 for year 2011.

of $1,172,263 was distributed to the Audit and Supervision Fund, which is remitted to the Co-operatives Division of the Ministry of Labour, Human Services and Social Security, in keeping with the Co-operative Act. Appropriate resolutions were approved by the attenders of the Meeting to commit the above-mentioned disbursements. An eleven-member Management Committee comprising Cdes Bevon Sinclair, Charles Cadogan, Harvey Tambron, Aslim Singh, Julius Nurse, Gaietri Baron, Walter Raghoo, Richard DeFreitas, Derek Thakur, Seepaul Narine and Rooplall Persaud were elected to manage the Society’s business until the 20th AGM, planned to be held in July, 2013. At the first meeting of the Management Committee, which will be held on December 12, 2012, the Chairman, the Secretary and the Treasurer of the Society will be elected. The meeting also elected Cdes KaviThe AGM approved the payment of ta Bishun and Narda Mohamed to $8,025,842 as dividend and Interest serve on the Credit Union’s Supervirebate to members of the Society. It sory Committee. A third member of follows that this sum will be paid to this Committee will be appointed by the benefit of the Society’s ordinary the Management Committee. members. The sum of $35,014 was credited to the Social and EntertainThe meeting ended with a commitment Fund. The sum of $2,344,526 ment by members to promote the was distributed statutorily to the Stat- Credit Union to others with a view to utory Reserve Fund, while the sum enlarging the Society’s membership. COMBAT: November/December, 2012

SILWFC workers to receive 7 per cent wage/salary hike

GAWU’s General Secretary, Seepaul Narine, receiving a copy of the agreement in the prescence of SILWFC’s Chairperson, First Lady Deolatchmee Ramotar, as well as other union officials, workers representatives, and members of the SILWFC Board

The Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) and the Sugar Industry Labour Welfare Fund Committee (SILWFC), on December 03, 2012, signed an agreement paving the way for the Committee’s fourteen (14)-person workforce to benefit from improved rates of pay and certain conditions of work. Wages and salaries have been increase by seven (7) per cent retroactive to January 01, 2012. Cycle Allowances and Mileage Allowance have been increased by ten (10) per cent. Shoe Allowance has increased from $6,000 to $6,600. Long Service

awards and Bursary awards have also been increase. A year-end agreement was approved as follows:• An employee up to the level of Senior Clerk will receive $45,000 • An employee above Senior Clerk level will receive $50,000 SILWFC came into being by Act No 20 of 1947, Chapter 69:03 of the Laws of Guyana, with effect from January 01, 1947. It is mandated to provide services to sugar estate workers by way of house-lot distribution, housing and repair loans, and sanitation/road construction, among other things. Page Seven

Another dismal year for sugar - this year’s production lowest since 1991 The curtain has almost come down on the production of sugar for this year (2012) with the closure of the crop on December 21, 2012, that is two (2) days away at the time of writing this article. As at December 19, 2012, production from the seven (7) grinding estates was merely 216,827 tonnes of sugar. This year’s production, therefore, will be miserably low. It is a dismal production and it is far below the industry’s first target of 265,000 tonnes sugar announced earlier in the year. There were three revisions of the target, to 236,310 tonnes in August, 2012, then to 241,000 tonnes in September, 2012 and finally to 231,072 tonnes announced in November, 2012.

It has now been established that the industry hadn’t the quantity of canes to produce the sugar to meet any of its above-mentioned targets without having to reap, in practically each estate, some of next crop’s canes. While the specific production of each estate will be fully known at the conclusion of the crop, Uitvlugt Estate, which ended its crop on week-ending November 24, 2012, produced 9,823 tonnes of sugar, falling short of its crop target by 3,090 tonnes sugar, although that Estate reaped about 50 hectares of next crop’s canes (1st crop of 2013). From week ending November 30, 2012, the ideal dry weather for cane harvesting was disturbed by intermittent rain, and thus cane production

Continued from page one

politicians and parliamentarians to do the same for those who elected them?

As the year ends... A future of Hope or Uncertainty Amidst all that, however, Combat noted the dogged determination of the Government and its new leaders to continue with national development: GAWU is concerned over such issues as the new Skeldon factory’s under-par performance, the underproduction of cane from our two primary sources. GAWU also now recognises the resurgent contribution of such products as gold and bauxite to the national economy. But it urges those in authority not to abandon the centuries-old significance of sugar and the still-thousands of dependents on that industry. GAWU and Combat note international happenings, such as the financial meltdowns in Europe and the current challenges to avoid recession now being played out in the USA. Can’t we, in Guyana’s struggling situation, learn from all that? The Americans have no choice but to compromise in their seats of government if they are to survive. Is it beyond our

began to decline. The unfavourable weather in the last four (4) weeks of the crop might have denied the industry the production of about 8,000 tonnes of sugar, but, to obtain that additional quantum, the harvest of some of next crop’s canes would have been required. Such decision is not sensible, since cane reaped before its maturity naturally produces less sugar. It is, therefore, concluded that the industry continues to underproduce now for seven (7) consecutive years. For the years 2005 – 2011, the average production was 241,348 tonnes. The industry’s dismal perennial pro-

duction needs urgent investigation. An account of the management of the industry and the decisions on crucial issues which have been implemented for the past years ought to be reflected on, with a view to adopting urgently a number of crucial decisions in order that this important industry to the country and its people be saved from further decline, and to the peril foremost to its stakeholders. Immediately, the industry must secure competent expertise in canegrowing, while new and crucial decisions are being implemented to save the country’s sugar industry.

GAWU and Guysuco approve API Agreement

GAWU urges all our leaders to resolve these five issues early in the new year: agreement on the 2013 Budgetary allocations; facilitation of local government elections to improve local, community democracy; an all-out strategy to keep sugar alive and viable; the exploitation of our natural resources in the interest of Guyanese; an overhaul of the Guyana Police Force where additional resources and infrastructure must be Union officials along with shop stewards from the seven (7) estates meeting with Guysuco offodirected. cials at API negotiations

This is a basic New Year wish list and it is not nearly exhaustive. If fulfilled, however, it can go a long way to promote hope in Guyanese over the coming twelve months. May the politicians find ways to compromise and construct, and so destroy uncertainty. Happy New Year from Combat and GAWU!

The Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) and the Guyana Sugar Corporation (Guysuco), on November 27, 2012, approved the industry’s Annual Production Incentive (API) arrangement for 2012. It was agreed that, based on the year’s production, for every quantum of 32,250 tonnes sugar, or part thereof, a qualified worker would receive a

day’s tax-free pay. The Corporation pointed out at negotiations with the Union that each API day’s pay is costed at G$80M. It is likely that each worker would receive about six and three-quarter (6¾) days’ pay based on the year’s production, which is expected to be under 220,000 tonnes sugar.

COMBAT is a publication of the Guyana Agricultural & General Workers Union (GAWU) 59 High Street & Wights Lane, Kingston, Georgetown, Guyana, S.A. Tel: 592-227-2091/2; 225-5321 , 223-6523 Fax: 592-227-2093 Email: gawu@bbgy.com Website: www.gawu.net