The Guyana Labour Union is a
trade union centre in
Guyana, previously known as the British Guiana Labour Union.[1]
History
The BGLU was founded in 1919, emerging as a labour union amongst
black dockworkers. Led by
Hubert Critchlow. It soon expanded into a colony-wide labour movement.[2] BGLU was not the first trade union in the
Caribbean, but was the first to be legally registered.[3]
BGLU took the initiative for cooperation between trade unions in the Caribbean. At the 1926 BGLU convention, the British Guiana and West Indian Trade Union Confederation was founded. In 1945, BG&WITUC became the
Caribbean Labour Congress.[8]
Forbes Burnham (later the president of Guyana) became president of GLU in 1952, and served until 1956.[9] Burnham again became GLU president 1963–1965.[9]Desmond Hoyte, who also became president of the country, served as GLU honorary president in the 1980s.[10]
The Guyana Labour Union later became associated with the
People's National Congress.[11] Robert Williams is the general secretary of GLU.[12]