The Guyana Teachers Union (GTU) continues to wage a spirited battle for the right to collective bargaining for public school teachers. This right was reinforced in Justice Sandil Kissoon’s ruling on April 19, 2024. The problem however, is the employer’s disinclination to respect this constitutional right and the court’s decision.
Today the Union’s negotiating team will be meeting with the Chief Labour Officer at the Ministry of Labour.
GTU made known in a statement issued earlier today that it met on May 13th and 14th, 2024 with the Chief Labour Officer for agreed Terms of Resumption which will pave the way for conciliation. The Union noted that these meetings ended each day with minimal progress on the way forward.
According to the GTU it has attended these meetings in good faith and optimism for a swift resolution. “Sadly, there is no indication that the other party wishes to move the process forward.”
Gov’t reneging on March 4 court-ordered agreement
Last week Attorney General (AG) and Minister of Legal Affairs Anil Nandlall accused the teachers of seeking to negotiate with the government under duress and hinted that the Government will not examine the teachers’ proposal of 2019-2023.
The AG’s statement is contrary to the agreement the state lawyers and union lawyers hammered out in the court-ordered agreement on March 4. That agreement led to the teachers putting the strike on pause. The strike was resumed on May 9, 2024, the result of the Government’s refusal to respect the agreement they hammered out in court.
The AG’s attitude may be influencing the government’s reaction towards and disregard for the court. Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo even stepped on the independence of the judiciary, namely Justice Sandil Kissoon for the April 19, 2024 that the teachers strike of February 5- March 4 was lawful. Jagdeo accused the Judge of being “presumptuous.” The People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) has since threatened to appeal a decision that favours the public school teachers, all the way to the Caribbean Court of Justice, Guyana’s court of last resort.
Not a case of affordability but political vindictiveness
An understandably aggrieve Union noted that “despite the MoE’s statement that ‘We recognise the invaluable contribution of our teachers and are dedicated to ensuring they are fairly compensated.’ The cry from teachers through their union has fallen on deaf ears. With each passing day, teachers incur a great level of stress due to their inability to make ends meet due to their meager salaries.”
Guyana Trades union Congress, General Secretary Lincoln Lewis said the issue of paying teachers, including 20 percent interim increase as part of the Terms of Resumption is not a case of affordability or without precedence but that of political vindictiveness.
According to the veteran trade unionist, in 2024 when the economy is earning at least US$ 2.5 billion in oil revenue and the National Budget of $1.146 trillion, this is not an issue of the government not having the money to pay the nation’s 15,000 public school teachers.
Lewis also cited the case of the 1999 public servants strike when a 25% per cent interim increase was paid across the board. He noted in 1997 the National Budget was $2.7 million and Guyana was constrained by the World Bank/IMF structural adjustment programme but money was found to pay public servants.
GTU for almost four (4) years has been trying to negotiate with the Ministry of Education/government a multi-year proposal 2019-2023. This proposal advocates for improved salaries and benefits for teachers.
The union’s primary demands include salary increases, better working conditions, non-salary benefits, and enhanced professional development opportunities. Despite several efforts, no agreement has been reached, prompting the GTU to call strike action.
See the GTUs’ full statement below
Guyana Teachers’ Union and the Ministry of Education Impasse in Salary Negotiations
The Guyana Teachers’ Union, established in 1884, has a long history of advocating for the rights and welfare of teachers. The current negotiation deadlock is seen as one of the most significant challenges in recent years, given the 2018 strike lasted nine (9) days. The current strike action call by the GTU has been ongoing for over forty (40) days highlighting the existing struggle for improved conditions in the education sector. This strike has led to heightened concerns among educators and stakeholders across the nation. The stalled discussions have created a climate of uncertainty, with potential implications for the country’s education system.
The GTU for almost four (4) years has been trying to negotiate with the Ministry of Education/government a multi-year proposal 2019-2023. This proposal advocates for improved salaries and benefits for teachers.
The union’s primary demands include salary increases, better working conditions, non-salary benefits, and enhanced professional development opportunities. Despite several efforts, no agreement has been reached, prompting the GTU to call strike action.
The GTU has attended meetings (May 13th and 14th, 2024) with the Chief Labour Officer for agreed terms of resumption which will pave the way for conciliation. However, these meetings ended each day with minimal progress on the way forward. The GTU has attended these meetings in good faith and optimism for a swift resolution. Sadly, there is no indication that the other party wishes to move the process forward.
Despite the MoE’s statement that “We recognize the invaluable contribution of our teachers and are dedicated to ensuring they are fairly compensated.” The cry from teachers through their union has fallen on deaf ears. With each passing day, teachers incur a great level of stress due to their inability to make ends meet due to their meager salaries.
The ongoing strike has sparked a wave of reactions from various quarters, parents, students, and educational advocates. They have voiced concerns about the potential impact on the quality of education and our future generation. Many fear that prolonged standoff without resolution has led to disruptions in the school calendar, affecting students’ learning experiences. The latest move by the MoE through
Memorandum #8, 2024 to cancel summative assessment for the final term of this academic year is unfortunate. These examinations pave the way for students’ promotion to new levels, classes, and streaming exercises. Schools are now advised to conduct continuous assessments which will affect an understanding of the learners’ true potential. The seriousness of the retrogressive step must be seen for what it is, no parent should accept this for their child.
In response to the impasse, the GTU has organized a series of activities and consultations with its members to inform and solicit their views on the next steps. The GTU calls on the government to demonstrate a greater commitment and good faith to addressing the issues faced by educators.
As the situation unfolds, all eyes are on the MoE/government and the GTU to find common ground. Both parties have acknowledged the importance of education in national development and the need for a stable and motivated teaching workforce.
Critical to determining the direction of the negotiations and the potential resolution of the impasse is the MoE/ government’s willingness to agree on our terms of resumption. These include:
Immediate Past President: Colin Bynoe
- Agreeing on the timeframe for the submitted multi-year proposal 2019-2023. The GTU remains open to adjusting the years within this period given the impact of COVID-19 on economies around the world.
- Agreeing on an interim payout to all teachers given the actions of MoE/government on our previous attempt to settle this matter. A similar step was taken in 1999 by this government to have workers return to their places of work after a prolonged period of the strike.
The GTU has urged its members to remain united and steadfast in their resolve. We stand together in this fight for justice and fairness. Our teachers deserve nothing less, and we must continue to advocate tirelessly until a resolution is found.
The Guyana Teachers’ Union remains hopeful that a fair and equitable agreement can be reached, ensuring that teachers receive the recognition and compensation they deserve for their invaluable contributions to society. The government has the authority to return to parliament with a supplementary budget to cater for additional costs.
