GPSU slams “grossly inadequate” 6% increase

Dec 13, 2009 News

– says it was not consulted

The Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU) has slammed the six per cent increase for Government workers and has said that it is grossly inadequate.
Yesterday, GPSU President, Patrick Yarde, commenting on the increase, said that Government arbitrarily made the payout without any form of consultations with the union. The union had been demanding 12 per cent in line with inflation and the cost of living.
“They paid half of what we asked. More fundamentally is their (government) non respect for labour rights and the laws of Guyana. It is as if the payment is a handout.”
According to Yarde, all the elections promises from 1992 when the PPP returned to power is a “betrayal of commitment and hypocrisy”.
“Also, what were the considerations used to determine the increase? We, as the union for public servants, have made repeated requests for meeting on this same issue- without there being any consultations and negotiations on this.”
GPSU, the official said, is “very unhappy” about the issue. “We are trying to keep the peace. We are recommending our members to be more militant.”
The official drew reference to 1998 when the union for several months had brought the government to its knees for increases.
“The government likes to talk about democracy. If this is the way that they are treating the people of the country, how much credibility will they have when they have to tell other countries how to treat our people?”
Recently, GPSU, in a press conference, called for a 12 per cent interim salary increase for all government workers.
The union had also urged for increases of several allowances, which had remained the same for the past 10 years despite a steady rise of the cost of living.
Yarde had also said that a measly $200 meal allowance is way below what is required. The irony of the situation, he had said in that press conference, is that in some government agencies, allowances have risen to up to $2000.
With the point that money remittances to Guyana have shown a steady decline, families are experiencing additional financial hardships, GPSU argued.
Yarde pointed to the increasing number of instances of members applying to the GPSU credit union for monies to pay telephone and other utility bills, a strong indication that workers are finding it more and more difficult.
“The minimum wage being offered to this group of workers in essence does not reflect the true realities since public servants with very limited resources continue to keep the wheels of government turning and are key to sustainable future development of Guyana.”
GPSU also noted that no increases have been paid to workers in the semi-autonomous agencies. While these agencies are statutorily delinked from the Public Service, in most cases, increases are paid similar to those paid in the Public Service.

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GPSU slams “grossly inadequate” 6% increase

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