The Guyana Trades Union Congress and the Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Guyana (FITUG), have submitted their separate national budget proposals to the Ministry of Finance, detailing a number of issues.
In its proposal, the Guyana Trades Union Congress said the government must return to collective bargaining to ensure that the interest of workers in the public sector is enhanced.
The umbrella union body rejected the imposition of salary increases while shutting out the unions.
Among other things, the TUC wants the government to convene public hearings on the Sovereign Wealth Fund to determine management priorities and allocation before spending.
The union also wants the government’s borrowing from financial institutions to be tabled in the National Assembly for discussion and approval and strict enforcement of the work permit rule.
Additionally, TUC has called for the increase of old age pension to $50,000 and wants the concessions given to Private Sector to be laid before the National Assembly.
According to the TUC, the government must also introduce strict rules on Procurement of goods and services and employment of Local Content in order to fend off unfair competition.
It also wants all contracts with foreign leaders, foreign companies and business to be laid before the National Assembly for review.
But to alleviate the cost of living and other burdens, the TUC wants the government to implement a targeted cash transfer programme from oil revenues, and also proposed that the personal Income tax be abolished.
In the Health Sector, TUC calls for the establishment of fully equipped main referral hospitals in all ten regions with a trauma centers, intensive care, and diagnostic facilities and wants more resources allocated to preventative Care, inclusive of yearly mammograms, pap smears, prostate, basic annual blood tests, among other things.
For its part, FITUG suggested changes to the income tax threshold and the rate of taxation.
Additionally, the Federation proposed implementing a system of tax credits for taxpayers with dependents. FITUG also highlighted that the adjustments in the income tax regime would not necessarily benefit all workers, therefore, it reiterated its previous call for the national minimum wage and public sector minimum wage to be equated as a starting point towards reaching a living wage.
FITUG has also called for an adjustment in the pensions paid by the National Insurance Scheme (NIS), which has not been addressed for several years.
“The Federation recommends that these measures be realised through discussions with the relevant bargaining agents across the public service. The Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Guyana (FITUG) has highlighted the urgent need to strengthen labour legislation in the country. It acknowledged that the current situation is fast evolving. Therefore, appropriate interventions are necessary to establish a robust legal framework that would protect workers’ rights and ensure that they are upheld at work,” FITUG said in its proposal.
FITUG also proposed that Budget 2024 provide more support for the sugar industry, noting the industry has made some progress but there was still more work to be done.
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