GGR supports Union
Reacting to recent exchanges between TGWU Branch Officer Charles Sisarello and Minister Bernard Linares, Equality Rights group GGR has supported the Union in what it says is “an effort to bring the Union back to its members and which all those workers who have in the past years lost hope and faith in the Union should now support by returning and helping to build the Union again in the interests of ordinary working people!”
“Mr Linares and the Government he represents needs to understand Governments in democracies are not allowed to own Unions! Our society is supposed to work on the basis of separation of powers. That means Mr Sisarello can and should make whatever arrangements he sees fit for the youth and the rest of the membership of the Union if that is their wish without being in any way beholden to Government. Indeed, Ministers might learn a thing or two from Mr Sisarello’s attitude of only commenting on policy. Unless for Government, ofcourse, this would carry with it the inconvenience of having to address the facts – in particular, that Trainees in the Government Training Scheme have not had an increase in their allowance or grant since 1990, which means that for 16 years inflation has been reducing the value of their money.”
“The Union is there to defend the interests of its workers and as an Equality Rights organisation GGR will support T&G efforts whenever and wherever in this aim. Equally, Mr Sisarello and the Union can expect criticism whenever the Union fails to carry out this mission. In this respect, perhaps Mr Sisarello can explain why it is that the Gibraltar branch has so far done nothing to obviate its promotion of sexual minority workers’ rights in accordance with Rule 2 (2) (d) of the Union Rule Book. Gibraltar T&G continues to remain silent on its sexual minority members when it is willing to make other non-discrimination positions rightfully clear and public. It is wholly unacceptable that the Union should thus contribute to marginalisation of a sector of its workers by failing to operate open and public solidarity for all its members without distinction. Silence contributes to inequality and this is wholly unacceptable coming from the Gibraltar Branch!”
“Mr Linares and the Government he represents needs to understand Governments in democracies are not allowed to own Unions! Our society is supposed to work on the basis of separation of powers. That means Mr Sisarello can and should make whatever arrangements he sees fit for the youth and the rest of the membership of the Union if that is their wish without being in any way beholden to Government. Indeed, Ministers might learn a thing or two from Mr Sisarello’s attitude of only commenting on policy. Unless for Government, ofcourse, this would carry with it the inconvenience of having to address the facts – in particular, that Trainees in the Government Training Scheme have not had an increase in their allowance or grant since 1990, which means that for 16 years inflation has been reducing the value of their money.”
“The Union is there to defend the interests of its workers and as an Equality Rights organisation GGR will support T&G efforts whenever and wherever in this aim. Equally, Mr Sisarello and the Union can expect criticism whenever the Union fails to carry out this mission. In this respect, perhaps Mr Sisarello can explain why it is that the Gibraltar branch has so far done nothing to obviate its promotion of sexual minority workers’ rights in accordance with Rule 2 (2) (d) of the Union Rule Book. Gibraltar T&G continues to remain silent on its sexual minority members when it is willing to make other non-discrimination positions rightfully clear and public. It is wholly unacceptable that the Union should thus contribute to marginalisation of a sector of its workers by failing to operate open and public solidarity for all its members without distinction. Silence contributes to inequality and this is wholly unacceptable coming from the Gibraltar Branch!”
posted by EQUALITY RIGHTS GGR @ Sunday, May 21, 2006
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