– No comment from PSM on “imposed” increases By Zena Henry General Secretary of the Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Guyana (FITUG) and the?National Association ofGPSU’s Patrick YardeAgricultural Commercial and Industrial Employees (NAACIE),?Kenneth Joseph, is of the view that trade union leaders have become weak in contemporary politics. He in fact believes that they should “totally” shoulder the blame for the many woes which the public workforce has faced and is currently facing.“All of us should take the blame for being foolish and for allowing the situation between the government and the union to deteriorate,” Joseph asserted. He opined that unity is required to cross the current hurdles positioned against public servants, but many leaders are looking too much into politics “instead of doing what they are paid for.”The weakening of the trade union movement, he suggested,Wholesale NFL Jerseys, came with political division and the intimate association of trade unionists with these bodies.? Speaking specifically to the imposition of increases on public servants, Joseph said that the unions have also been “allowing the government to get away with the illegalities” against public servants.He reiterated the need for unions to stand united since according to him, it is not an easy task to get the union leaders together.“It’s very difficult to get the leaders together. Unless they unify, the unions will remain defeated.”The trade unionist also noted that union members have been allowing the government and their representatives to “get away with the incomplete representation of their rights”. He said these major factors, among others, contribute significantly to the workers’ troubles.Head of the Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU) Patrick Yarde also believes that union leaders should take blame for public servants’ troubles. He said however that, “everyone…leaders, members… everyone could have done better.” He reflected that there are things that he too could have done better.“But you are dealing with a very peculiar situation in this country and sometimes the leniency that I have displayed I have regretted it. There is no blueprint where there is a perfect way to deal with things.“In taking action, you must be clear that there are things that must trade off. There are sometimes very difficult decisions.Public Service Minister Jennifer WestfordDo you think I would be happy to know that I pull out the staff at GPHC and it results in the death of anyone?”Yarde emphasised that there must be significant consideration when making decisions,Cheap Baseball Jerseys, which usually carry a cost. He reminded that it was not ideal for workers who lost 57 days’ pay during the 1997 strike. “They were gravely inconvenienced, while other sectors were severely disrupted,” he said.Yarde said too that the union is dealing with ‘an uncaring and unreasonable government” before reminding that in 1999 it was former President,Wholesale Jerseys, Bharrat Jagdeo, who went to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and related that public servants should get three percent for the next 10 years. Yarde said Jagdeo claimed that the country would be economically devastated if the workers got any percentage more than the three percent. The arbitrators, Yarde continued, decided to give public workers 31.1 percent in one year and 26.6 percent the next year and the national information showed that in 2001 inflation was at its lowest ever.“It’s either he (Jagdeo) is the biggest dunce or it was the biggest scam to be played on public workers,” Yarde charged.First Vice President of GPSU,Cheap NFL Jerseys Authentic,?Mortimer Livan, told Kaieteur News yesterday that tomorrow will be one week after the 48-hour ultimatum was issued to the government following the imposed increase of five and eight percent increases.Since the government announced the increases,Cheap Jerseys, correspondence was sent by the union demanding an explanation. A specific letter was sent to the Public Service Ministry’s Permanent Secretary (PS) Hydar Ally asking him to explain the part he played, since he signed the circular for the public workers’ increases, but kept telling the union that he was awaiting directionsFITUG/NACCIE’s Kenneth Josephfrom his superiors for negotiations of wages and salaries. The union said it has not received any response from the PS or his superiors, and it is currently strategizing its next move.Kaieteur News made contact with Public Service Minister,Cheap MLB Jerseys Authentic, Jennifer Westford, who was at the time in Lethem. When asked for a word on the ongoing matter involving the imposed increases, the Minister said she has “no