While the Guyana Trades Union Congress (GTUC) recognizes the importance of oil majors and their subcontractors in the development of the nation’s petroleum industry, it will not condone any situation which attempts to stifle the rights of workers. Making this comment at a press conference today was GTUC President, Lincoln Lewis.
Lewis’ comments come on the heels of discovery by the Union that TOTALTEC Oilfield Services is imposing contracts on employees which contain provisions that explicitly prohibit their association with unions.
An excerpt of the TOTALTECH contract says, “The employee may not without the prior written consent of the company engage, whether directly or indirectly, in any business or employment or association including union membership which is similar or in any way connected to or competitive with the business of the company or which could or might reasonably be considered by the company to impair the employee’s ability to act at all times in the best interest of the company during or outside the employee’s hours of work for the company.”
Lewis said that GTUC said that TOTALTECH’s policy flies in the face of the Constitution. In addition to condemning this act by the company, Lewis called on the Private Sector Commission to take a stand on this issue. Lewis made this call even as he noted that he is quite aware that historically, the Commission has been hostile towards the unionization of workers.
Lewis said, too, that the Union will be holding the feet of the political leaders to the fire on this issue as well as those officials at the Labour Department and business support organizations. “Let them tell the people of this country what their clear and unadulterated positions are on workers of this country benefitting from the Constitution of this country, which in other circumstances, they so often wave around frantically in pursuit of other causes,” the GTUC President added.
Guyana Standard understands that TOTALTEC is an international oilfield service company focused on supporting the industry development by providing support and consultancy services to the local community, international operators and service companies.
