Talks between the Guyana Teachers’ Union (GTU) and the Ministry of Education over teachers’ salary increases have collapsed as both sides have failed to come to an agreement over which period the negotiations should be focused.
During a press conference moments ago, GTU’s President, Mark Lyte said that a proposal for salaries hike, and additional measures were submitted specially for the period 2019 to 2023. However, the government is only focused on having talks on 2024 and onwards.
Lyte said that when the GTU returned to the table on Tuesday, it noticed an additional member on the side of the ministry in the person of the Permanent Secretary, Shanielle Hossein-Outar.
“We were not even settled when the Permanent Secretary indicated that government will not negotiate from 2019 to 2023…At that time, the union resolutely put forward its position that we are not interested in discussing any multi-year proposal 2024 and beyond because we have not submitted such,” Lyte emphasized.
According to Lyte, the Permanent Secretary suggested that the union draft a proposal aligned with the government’s preferred negotiation timeline (2024 and onward), a suggestion perceived by the GTU as disrespectful and unacceptable.
“We find that the PS was very disrespectful,” Lyte said, adding that the union will not be “bullied”.
“Our first recourse, we are going to take the matter back to the court. We are presently in consultation with our lawyers…It is very clear, that the Ministry of Education and its principals believe that they can take the GTU for a ride.”
It must be noted that the ruling People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) had taken the reins of government in 2020, and that the period which the GTU wishes to negotiate (2019 to 2023), includes two years that fell under the purview of the former A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance for Change (APNU+AFC) administration (2015 to 2020).
GTU’s General Secretary, Coretta McDonald told media operatives that parties that have succeeded others to become the government must take up the mantle of their predecessors in addressing salaries. She is an APNU+AFC legislator.
The ministry has however issued a statement saying that the GTU abandoned the collective bargaining process.
The agency said that PS Hoosein-Outar upheld the government’s position that discussions surrounding salary increases should be from 2024 onwards. She explained that increases for the prior years would have financial implications, and that the 2024 budget does not have the fiscal space to accommodate the retroactive payment of salaries for teachers during the period 2019 – 2023.
The ministry also noted that the meeting reached an impasse after the GTU indicated that they are only interested in discussing salaries, particularly between the period of 2019 – 2023 and nothing else.
” The GTU maintained its determination to only discuss salary matters in relation to the prior years and refused to address the other 25 matters which were identified by both the Ministry of Education and the Union for discussion. This resulted in the representatives of the union abandoning the process and walking out of the meeting,” the agency said.
Further, the Ministry of Education noted its commitment to continuing dialogue with the union.
The ministry was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Mrs. Shannielle Hoosein-Outar; Chief Education Officer, Mr. Saddam Hussain; Deputy Chief Education Officer- AHED, Mr. Marti DeSouza; Deputy Chief Education Officer- Admin, Ms. Tiffany Harvey; and other officials.
As for the Guyana Teachers’ Union, it was represented by GTU President Dr. Mark Lyte, GTU General Secretary, Ms. Coretta McDonald Ms. Mariska Williams, Mr. Heathcliff Peters, Ms. Sumanta Alleyne, Mr. Collis Nicholson, Ms. Donnette D’Andrade, Mr. Rabindrauth Boodram and Mr. Colin Bynoe, along with three General Council members, Mr. Deoraj Nauth, Mr. Sergio Joseph, and Ms. Vanessa Kissoon.
