From the President’s Desk:

Two and a half decades from here the Government Services Employees Association (GSEA)will be a centenarian in the labour movement of this country. Throughout its existence the GSEA has had to face transformations, successively by a process of change of name, in response to membership density, and securing the best strategy in defence of workers’ security, promotional prospects, incremental improvement in work conditions and general welfare. Side by side we have all along moved beyond to establish common platforms with sister unions and further  to federate our energies and ideas for the advancement of dialogue with the stakeholders, namely , our employer that is the Government.

Very often one essential element of the nature of our movement goes unnoticed or rather insufficiently underlined: that we are the largest voluntary corps as amongst NGOs considering that each and every member of our association becomes part of a movement that makes a change in our everyday life. I am witness to the unflinching commitment, in words and in actions, of branch leaders, men and women, in their various capacities. The GSEA has staged demonstrations and organized solidarity walks and held press conferences to stand up for our rights which combine decent health and safety conditions and a pay packet commensurate with the living standards, and to get rid of unwarranted anomalies.

The GSEA is an association of a large group of employees from different segments of the public sector, in effect of all Ministries and Departments. Each of these sectors and many more have undergone transformations due to departure on retirement (which is part of natural growth), policy factors (privatization and more threat with privatization), the latest system of performance assessment which has created more frustration than a feel good factor which is essential for the psyche of the employee and for the good running of the affairs of the public sector.

By themselves trade unions are popular universities where we transmit values to one another, of hard work, of respect, of discipline, of  solidarity within ourselves and with migrant workers. And without saying it with our branch brothers and sisters in Rodrigues. Our Association has often gone out of the beaten track by engaging itself in workshops and seminars on diverse issues such as prevention of drug usage, abuse of alcohol, health and safety, climatic change and protection of the environment. Because the scope of a workers’ association goes beyond the workplace to meet the larger community.

The GSEA is reputed for its yearly training programs for its members in view of capacity building, raising awareness on a host of issues like preparations of memorandum, finding the arguments to convince our stakeholders, finding strong bullets to nullify obstacles on our way. As we say ‘’la rélève se prépare maintenant.’’

We have built a trust which keeps on growing. We have a duty to nourish this trust. We are many in members, we are one in partnership. The GSEA is a family. Whoever wants to join us is most welcome.

Radhakrisna Sadien, MSK

Vision

To be a Respected Partner and a Reference in Trade Unionism.

Mission

To be at the forefront of Change Leadership and Sound Industrial Relations

Core Values

Good Governance and Transparency;

Service of the Highest Standard;

Empowerment at all times; and

Action and Results-orientedness