After four-plus weeks of grueling struggle Guyana’s public-school teachers are expected to return to the classrooms by Wednesday March 6th. This is according to an Agreement signed by the Guyana Teachers Union (GTU) and the Government of Guyana Monday March 4th in the Court. The Agreement, seen below, comes after the Government, having refused to engage the Union in collective bargaining the last four years, was taken to court by the Union in February.
In August 2020 the GTU submitted a multi-year proposal for increased wages/salaries and improved working conditions to the Irfaan Ali government. The proposal was re-submitted in 2021, 2022 and 2023, but remained ignored by the government.
The strike which entered its fifth week Sunday saw teachers remaining steadfast in getting government to respect their right to collective bargaining enshrined at Article 147 in the Constitution of Guyana.
Justice Sandil Kissoon last Thursday ordered the two sides to mediation. After deliberation last Friday and Monday the two sides agreed :
- Teachers shall, in good faith, resume work on or before Wednesday 6 March, 2004
- Discussions shall proceed within 48 hours of resumption of work and shall be in relation to those matters which either Party considers relevant for discussion between the Union and the Government, which includes financial matters.
- The discussions referred to in clause 2 above shall take place at the Ministry of Education Boardroom, Lot 26 Brickdam, Georgetown and will continue for a reasonable period of time.
- Both parties reserve all their rights pursuant to any agreement or the laws of Guyana.
The agreement was signed Dr. Mark Lyte, President GTU, Darren Wade who appeared as the Union’s attorney, King’s Counsel Darshan Ramdhani who represented the Attorney General and Chief Education Officer Saddam Hussain for the Ministry of Education. The court appointed mediators were senior counsel Robin Stoby and Edward Luckhoo.
Whilst many appreciated the intervention of the court to address some existing grievances, there are mixed views whether the agreement as outlined above caters for issues such as resumption of work with no victimization and directive to begin collective bargaining which the teachers struck for. The Teachers Union promised to issue a statement later on the matter.
Meanwhile, Lyte told the media Monday “The government was not coming to talk with us. They were not even shaking our hands. They were paying us no attention for the last four weeks and one day and now that we have gotten an agreement for government to engage is a significant victory for all those who stood for 29 days.”
