– General Secretary Despite the many challenges faced,Cheap Jerseys Paypal, the General Secretary of the National Association of Agricultural, Commercial and Industrial Employees (NAACIE), Kenneth Joseph, has deemed 2008 a ‘reasonable one.’According to Joseph, despite having to deal with inflation rates and the low wages of workers, the union has had a somewhat successful year.While noting some of the union’s successes, Joseph said much more needs to be done, and accomplishing this will be the union’s focus for 2009.According to Joseph, the union has been able to lobby a number of issues successfully for some of its workers. These,Cheap NFL Jerseys China, he said, include being able to secure an across-the-board agreement for workers at the Guyana Power and Light Inc.After months of negotiations between the GPL and NAACIE, both parties, on December 3 last, agreed to a 6% increase for GPL workers for 2008.The 6% increase was paid to both junior and senior class workers of the power company who are represented by the union.The union and GPL had been in negotiation for the increase since the early part of this year. The union, however,China NFL Jerseys, was not pressing the issue,Wholesale NFL Jerseys, having recognized the situation which the utility company and the world at large was facing with high oil prices.The union also managed to secure a mutual agreement as it relates to the power company’s rationalization exercise.In addition, the General Secretary said, while the union had a very difficult time negotiating with the Guyana Sugar Corporation, it was able to come to an agreement which was somewhat beneficial to its workers.However, Joseph said, negotiations could have been a little better with the sugar company.“We are looking forward to fostering a better relationship with GuySuCo in the coming year, and I hope that could materialize so that our workers can benefit and the company as well,” Joseph said.Meanwhile, after lengthy negotiations between Toolsie Persaud Limited and the union for better wages for workers, very little has been achieved.The General Secretary said the issue of better wages has not been addressed to date, but the union did, however, manage to secure a Christmas bonus for its workers, who were prepared to take industrial action, since there were no indications that the money would have been paid.He said that, in the new year, NAACIE hopes to foster a better relationship with Toolsie Persaud Limited in the interest of its workers.In addition, NAACIE has reported that negotiations with BOSAI went well for the year, as the parties were able to address some burning issues to the benefit of their workers.These, Joseph said, include an across-the-board ‘cost of living’ increase, which covered electricity allowances, among other allowances.On the down side, though,Cheap NFL Jerseys China, Joseph said the union is currently working towards fostering a better relationship with the Guyana Water Inc.According to Joseph, the only successful thing that came out of negotiations with the GWI was that an injunction filed by the Transport Union was called off.He said that, having done this, the union will now be able to go ahead with negotiating other pressing issues which affect workers whom it represents.He said that NAACIE will also be looking forward to fostering relationships with other unions which represent workers of the same companies within which it operates.Meanwhile, come next year, NAACIE said, it will be looking at fostering relationships with other trade unions around the Caribbean, and even further afield.Joseph said that the union will also be looking at getting more involved in other issues which not only affect workers which they represent, but issues which affect the world at large.These, he said,Wholesale Cheap Jerseys China, include getting into discussions about the Economic Partnership Agreement and climate change.