The People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) in a statement has reiterated its call for the government to immediately restore the Guyana Teachers Union’s (GTU) right to collect membership dues through salary deductions, following a landmark decision on Tuesday by the Court of Appeal. This ruling rejected the State’s application to stay Justice Kissoon’s 2022 order, which directed the government to resume deducting and remitting union dues.
Justice Kissoon’s 19th April 2024, judgment affirmed the legality of the GTU strike and condemned the government’s cessation of union dues deductions as “arbitrary, unlawful, unreasonable, and without legal basis.” He described the move as a violation of fundamental rights enshrined in Article 147 of the Constitution, which protects freedom of assembly, association, and demonstration.
However, despite the court ruling in favour of the GTU over ten months ago, the government has failed to comply, drawing widespread criticism from the opposition and workers’ rights advocates. The PNCR lambasted the PPP administration, accusing it of executive lawlessness and anti-union hostility, a pattern the party says is deeply rooted in the PPP’s history.
The PNCR underscored that the People’s Progressive Party’s (PPP) contentious relationship with trade unions, especially independent unions, is nothing new. Historically, the PPP has been accused of undermining unions that do not align with its political interests. Notable examples include repeated interference in union activities, withholding dues, and sidelining unions advocating for better wages and working conditions for workers.
The GTU, as an independent trade union, has frequently found itself at odds with the PPP government. The PNCR highlighted that this pattern of undermining unions dates back to previous PPP administrations, which were marked by strained relations with organizations that dared to challenge state policies or advocate for workers’ rights. Critics argue that such actions contradict the government’s proclaimed commitment to the working class.
The PNCR emphasised that the government’s refusal to comply with the Court of Appeal’s decision is not just a legal issue but an attack on the dignity of teachers and the wider working class. The party demanded that the government immediately respect the court’s ruling and reinstate the deduction of union dues.
“Guyanese of all political affiliations must demand that the government ends its fight against the teachers’ union here and now. This act of vindictiveness against the GTU is a glaring example of executive overreach and must not be tolerated,” the PNCR stated.
The opposition party also criticised the government’s decision to appeal the ruling at the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ), describing it as a waste of resources and an abuse of the judicial system to suppress hard-working citizens.
The PNCR pledged that, should it form the next government, it would immediately withdraw the case from the CCJ and compensate the GTU for financial losses incurred due to the PPP’s actions. “We will initiate collective bargaining with the GTU to ensure proper remuneration and improved working conditions for teachers. Our educators deserve respect and fair treatment,” the statement added.
Teachers are usually seen as the backbone of society, and the attack on their union is seen as an affront to every worker in Guyana. The PNCR’s call for action resonates with growing sentiment among Guyanese workers who feel marginalised by the PPP administration’s anti-union practices that have plagued the country for decades.
