Orange Fridays Launched as Caribbean Teachers Back GTU

The dispute between the Guyana Teachers Union (GTU) and the Government of Guyana has now moved beyond the country’s borders, with the Caribbean Union of Teachers (CUT) launching a regional and international solidarity campaign and calling on educators and supporters to wear orange on Fridays.

The campaign, titled “Standing with GTU: Safeguarding Educator Rights and Decent Work in the Caribbean,” will run from September through December 2026 and involves CUT’s member unions and international education partners. It is being conducted under the slogan #RespectTheBenchRespectTheChalk.

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The campaign comes amid continuing disagreement between the GTU and government over union dues, collective bargaining and compliance with court decisions.

Orange Fridays To Show Solidarity

“Wear Orange Fridays” is among the first coordinated actions announced by CUT.

The initiative is intended to give teachers across Guyana and the wider Caribbean a visible way to demonstrate solidarity with the GTU while drawing international attention to the unresolved labour dispute.

CUT President Sharon Kelsick said the campaign is not simply about the dispute in Guyana, but about defending the broader rights of educators and trade unions throughout the Caribbean.

CUT represents education unions across 26 Caribbean territories and is affiliated with Education International, the global federation of education unions.

Kelsick said:

“Across the Caribbean, history and experience demonstrate that a robust, resilient, and progressive education system cannot be built in isolation. It requires an enduring and collaborative partnership between governments and the trade unions that represent the teaching workforce.”

She also warned that prolonged conflict could have consequences for schools, teachers and students.

“Nothing good comes from prolonged division. The continued delay in resolving these fundamental matters only hurts our teachers, destabilises our school communities, and ultimately penalises the students who depend on us all.”

Union Dues at the Centre of Dispute

A major issue in the dispute is the Government’s suspension of the check-off system, through which union dues are deducted from teachers’ salaries and remitted to the Guyana Teachers’ Union (GTU).

The matter has already reached the courts.

In August 2025, the GTU and Guyana Trades Union Congress (GTUC) filed contempt proceedings against several senior government officials, alleging non-compliance with court orders concerning the deduction and remittance of teachers’ union dues. The proceedings were subsequently withdrawn after the union’s attorney identified technical issues with the filing.

The Caribbean Union of Teachers (CUT) has now taken up the issue at the regional level, arguing that the dispute has implications for freedom of association, collective bargaining and respect for the rule of law.

In its recent campaign statement, CUT said the Government’s continued refusal to resume the check-off system, along with its alleged failure to comply fully with judicial decisions, poses a serious threat to the GTU’s financial and operational capacity.

Kelsick stated:

“The decision of the High Court on these matters delivered a clear legal framework. The continued non-compliance or delay in fully honouring the court’s ruling inflicts severe and unnecessary damage upon the operational capacity of the GTU and, fundamentally, undermines the morale and trust of Guyana’s dedicated educators.”

Dispute Rooted In 2024 Teachers’ Strike

The latest campaign follows the bitter 2024 teachers’ strike, which lasted for months as teachers pressed the government for improved salaries and working conditions.

The labour dispute subsequently moved into the courts, with the GTU challenging government action concerning salary deductions and union dues.

Education International has previously called for meaningful collective bargaining between the government and GTU, stressing that teachers require decent salaries, working conditions and a meaningful role in decisions affecting education.

The organisation has also previously pointed to ILO Convention 98, which protects collective bargaining, as a framework for resolving the dispute.

Regional Pressure Now Building

CUT’s campaign is expected to go beyond orange Fridays.

Planned actions include communications with CARICOM, Education International and other international partners, regional media outreach, social-media mobilisation and solidarity statements from education unions.

CUT has also indicated that it could pursue engagement with the International Labour Organization (ILO) if progress remains insufficient.

The regional body has invited Education Minister Sonia Parag and senior Ministry of Education officials to meet with a high-level delegation in an effort to facilitate dialogue with the GTU.

Kelsick said CUT’s objective is ultimately to help resolve the dispute rather than deepen it.

“The CUT firmly believes that there is no challenge too complex to be resolved through authentic, open, and honourable negotiations.”

She added:

“Our goal is not to assign blame, but to assist in charting a practical, fair, and sustainable path forward, one that respects the legal rulings of the land, honours collective bargaining principles, and restores stability to Guyana’s education sector.”

With Orange Fridays now becoming the visible symbol of the campaign, a dispute that began primarily as a Guyanese labour confrontation is increasingly becoming a regional trade union issue, placing the government’s relationship with the GTU under international scrutiny.