APR 24

As labour day approaches in Grenada, there are signs that all is not well within the Grenada Trades Union Council (GTUC). Informed sources told GRENADA TODAY that two of the affiliates - Commercial and Industrial Workers Union (CIWU) and the Seamen and Waterfront Workers Union (SWWU) will not be taking part in the traditional march of workers.

According to a well-placed source, the CIWU has been suspended from taking part in activities of the council for failure to pay its annual subscription fees for a number of years.

He said the union, headed by Elliot Bishop, is in arrears of over $10, 000 E.C dollars and is reluctant to submit proposals to TUC on clearing the outstanding sums. He made mention of the Grenada Manual Maritime and Intellectual Workers Union (GMMIWU), headed by Bert La Touche which has also been suspended but allowed to take part in activities of the council.

The official said that GMMIWU which was formed in 1950 by late Prime Minister Eric Gairy has agreed to a repayment plan. The CIWU has reportedly run into financial problems due to the cost of construction of its new headquarters building along the Grand Anse main road.

A member of the union told this newspaper that CIWU will most likely stay away from the TUC-sponsored labour day activities planned for May 1 at the Tanteen playing field.

There are also unconfirmed reports that the union is accusing the powerful Technical and Allied Workers Union (TAWU) of pressuring the council to take 'this strong stand against them". A source close to the trade union movement said that a senior executive member of CIWU had been 'spreading a rumour that TAWU is trying to encroach on their membership.

He denied this as 'wishful thinking" since the President-General of TAWU, Senator Chester Humphrey is committed to keeping the trade union movement intact in order to ensure the eventual collapse of the NNP regime from power.

In the case of SWWU, it has notified the umbrella body that it intends to use the labour day celebrations to lay wreathes on the grave of its long-serving Secretary/Treasurer, the late Eric C. Pierre.

TUC insiders have said that the move by SWWU is not unexpected due to its alleged political closeness to the ruling New National Party (NNP) administration of Prime Minister Dr. Keith Mitchell.

The seamen union had sought to distance itself during the November 27 general election from a decision taken by the umbrella body for members of the leadership to appear on the platform of opposition parties to criticise the anti-labour policies of the Mitchell government.

Labour Minister Claris Charles is also threatening to boycott the May 1 celebrations if the TUC cannot guarantee her personal safety in light of last year's hostility showed by workers to then Labour Minister, Senator Lawrence Joseph.