JAN 03

The President-General of the powerful Grenada Technical and Allied Workers Union (TAWU), Chester Humphrey is going back to parliament to represent the island's trade union movement in the Senate.

Humphrey got the nod yesterday at voting held by the Grenada Trades Union Council (GTUC) to select its nominee for its place in the House of Representatives which resumes sitting on January 9 following the November 27 general election.

All seven affiliates of the umbrella movement were present at the meeting held at the Public Workers Union (PWU) building in Tanteen for the selection process.

The TUC decided to open up its nomination process for scrutiny due to overtures made by the re-elected New National Party (NNP) government of Prime Minister Dr. Keith Mitchell to influence the way the body appointed the Senator.

During a news conference held earlier in the month, First Vice President of the movement, Stanley Roberts accused the Grenadian leader of attempting to divide the organisation.

The TUC expressed concern over a letter sent to their affiliates by former Permanent Secretary in the Office of the Prime Minister, Lana Mc. Phail relating to the appointment of the Labour Representative in the Upper House.

The letter invited TUC affiliates to meet separately with Prime Minister Mitchell to decide on a possible representative.
Since 1990, the TUC along with the other interest groups that are represented in the Senate were allowed to choose their own appointees which they would then pass on to government.
During Monday's meeting, Humphrey was nominated by representatives from the Public Workers Union (PWU), Grenada Union of Teachers (GUT) and TAWU.

Although the representative from the Seamen and Waterfront Workers Union (SWWU) was absent, they sent word that their nominee for the post is the TUC current President, Derek Allard of Bank & General Workers Union (BGWU).

Allard declined nomination and told the meeting that no one consulted him about the decision to appoint him to seek representation in the Senate. When the votes were counted by show of hands, Humphrey won unanimously.

All of the representatives of the different unions except the GMMIWU voted for the TAWU boss to return to the Senate.
In his acceptance speech, Humphrey who will be serving an unprecedented 14 year stint in the Upper House praised the workers of the country over the way they voted in the just-ended general election.

He encouraged workers to be more militant in the new year as the TUC pushes for the total withdrawal of the controversial Labour Relations Act of 2003.

The TAWU president general stated that one of his main priorities in the new year is to get the Pensions Disqualifications Act repealed.
He said he believes that if legislation could be hurriedly passed to give parliamentarians who served one term in government gratuity then the same can be done for workers on the island.