“Throughout the crisis, the GFBTU has acted in the best interests of both workers and the nation. Indeed, the GFBTU had repeatedly called for national dialogue on economic, social and political issues even in the face of continued government crackdowns on peaceful demonstrators,” explained ITUC General Secretary Sharan Burrow. Rather than pursue a process of dialogue and reconciliation, however, the government has instead sought to dismantle the union through continued dismissals, criminal prosecutions and now through a series of legal “reforms” that give the government new powers to undermine the GFBTU. (See previous online)
The time is now for the government to come to the table with the requisite political will to initiate a serious national dialogue based on respect for human and trade union rights.
