MAY 08

Former President of the Public Workers Union (PWU) Lauret Clarkson has urged the membership of the Grenada Trades Union Council (TUC) not to settle their in differences in the media.

She made the comment while delivering the feature address at Labour Day celebrations organised by the Commercial and Industrial Workers Union (CIWU) at their headquarters in Grand Anse last Saturday.

The union broke ranks this year and staged its own event after it was suspended from all activities organised by the TUC over its failure to pay its membership dues.

Clarkson called on the unions not to go at each other in Grenada Today, Grenadian Voice or the Informer Newspapers. "The media will always have a day with those sorts of things because the role of the media is to report sensationalism as to report facts" Clarkson pointed out.

The former PWU President stressed that these are difficult times for the two main persons in the union mainly President Elliot Bishop and Secretary/Treasurer Barbara Fraser.

"It is not an easy time for brother Bishop who has function as Treasurer for the TUC for over 20 years plus, as well as sister Barbara who I have known for a long time, I hope the media understand that" Clarkson said.

She told the CIWU membership that it is not the first time there is disunity within the ranks of the TUC adding that there has never been a dull moment in "this wonderful spice island of ours".

"Some of you may well remember at one pointing time, there was a division in the TUC. Grenada is a place of history and once you know where to look for it you will find it " Clarkson stated . "So what's happened today has happened before and should the good Lord tarry will happen again" the former PWU president noted.

The trade unionist said it was a difficult decision for Bishop to make in not participating in May Day under the banner of the TUC.
Clarkson told the CIWU membership to be on guard since people will be telling them all sorts of things so that they would not have any trust in their leadership.

"When trust does not appear to be there, real , perceived or imagine it leaves a bitter taste in the mouths of workers" the former PWU President noted. "And so workers today are developing their own sense of trust which can lead to mistrust" she warned.

According to Clarkson the CIWU have indicated that they will pay their dues which had resulted in their suspension, but what the members cannot understand is why they were not allowed to participate in the rally.

"And I heard one of the executive members in the media saying the disabled will be there, the national bus association will be there, and other persons will be there who are not readily in the make up of the trades union council but they will be part" the former PWU President indicated.

Clarkson told CIWU members that they are correct in questioning why they were not part of the May Day march. "So what has to happen is that the members of this important trades union here must decide and determine the way forward for themselves and as independent trade union within the umbrella of the GTUC" she added.