…says limited by financial constraints
…NAACIE to discuss proposal with workers
By Lisa Hamilton
A proposal has been made by the Management of the Guyana Power and Light Inc. (GPL) for a 2 to 10 percent increase for employees based on performance after employees at powe company’s Main Street head office staged a protest for salary increases back in late April 2021.
On May 7, 2021 representatives of the National Association of Agricultural, Commercial and Industrial Employees (NACCIE) and some employees met with the Management of GPL. The proposal is set to be further discussed with all employees and this will be followed by another meeting to be attended by a wider representation of employees — as many as 20 participants.
“Previously, we had the Performance-Based Incentive which was a one-off thing in the sense that they get the increase but it’s not added to your salary. In this case, what they’re proposing is that you get the increase and it’s also added to your salary, the 2 to 10 percent. It is an increase based on performance,” General Secretary of NAACIE, Dawchan Nagasar told the Village Voice News.
FINANCIAL CONSTRAINTS
In July 2020, the Union and the Management had commenced discussions for a three-year Collective Labour Agreement (CLA) from 2020-2022. The Company was offering a 5 percent salary increase for each year. There was mutual agreement on 66 clauses and disagreement on only two: Across-the-Board Increases and the Performance-Based Incentive.
NAACIE submitted several counter-proposals but GPL stated that due to its financial constraints it could not make such payments. Employees protested on April 27, 2021, to show their dissatisfaction. Nagasar said that the workers feel disenfranchised and left out by the Company because proposals were made since 2020 but no agreement has yet been arrived at.
In a statement following the protest, GPL’s Management said that in December 2020, the Company paid all staff $25,000 despite its financial position that has been negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
It said that the pandemic contributed to a “significant and unbudgeted expenditure” that was necessary to ensure the Company’s continued operation. During the first quarter of 2021, GPL’s Management also noted that the world market fuel prices per barrel have exceeded 2021 budgeted prices by approximately 50 percent. Should prices remain at this level, the Company estimates it will incur additional and unbudgeted expenditure of approximately $6 billion.
WHICH END OF THE SCALE?
Questioned about whether clarity was given on where workers would be placed on the scale of the 2 to 10 percent proposal, Nagasar said: “It is just a new proposal. We haven’t gone into details with it. At the next meeting, we’re going to get down to more details…it’s a proposal, nothing concrete. So, the figures could always move.”
At the protest in April, Nagasar announced that there were plans to involve Prime Minister, Mark Phillips in the matter since GPL falls under his portfolio. Nagasar updated that while the Prime Minister will definitely be briefed on the ongoing discussions, he would have conveyed that his intervention is not yet needed as he will first give the two parties another opportunity to come to an amicable arrangement.
There are two Unions that represent GPL. The Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU) represents GPL Managers while the employees — those in supervisory positions and below — are represented by NAACIE. NACCIE represents some 750 GPL employees country-wide. The Union has been representing GPL workers since 1999.
