Latest update November 26th, 2024 1:00 AM
GT&T, union clash over release of staffers’ personal info
… Wage and salaries negotiations
The Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GT&T) and its workers’ union are at a stalemate over the disclosure of some workers’ pay. On one hand, the Guyana Postal and Telecommunications Workers’ Union (GPTWU) says that it wants data on workers with the bargaining unit, including years of service and the salary scale.
GT&T is refusing on the grounds that some workers may not want to disclose their details. The company said, however, that it is prepared to accede to requests once workers give their permission.
GT&T's CEO, Yog Mahadeo
Salary and wages negotiations, which the union was initially demanding a 45 per cent increase, are ongoing for the period up to September 30, 2012. Yesterday, during a press conference at the union’s headquarters in East Street, GPTWU’s President, Harold Shepherd, claimed that negotiations for its 400-strong members has been ongoing since November but GT&T management is still reluctant to provide notes of the accounts for the financial year ending December 31, 2009.
List
According to Shepherd, the request for information includes a list of persons within the bargaining unit, their years of service, their positions on the salary scale and their positions along the steps on its membership, which would have hopefully propelled the negotiations process. He said that the GPTWU is the sole and exclusive bargaining agent for the employees of the company, in the A10-SO salary scales, and believes very strongly that its request should not be denied.
“The Union had since written the Chief Labour Officer requesting conciliation on the issue of the Company’s reluctance to provide the requested information. That meeting was held and the Management of GT&T has again restated that the information will not be disclosed,” Shepherd said.
Arguing for better pay in light of GT&T’s excellent financial performance, the GPTWU president said that the wages leave much to be desired.
“While the union is not against the company giving back to the Guyanese populace, at the same time, the employees of the company who have been doing their best under extreme circumstances must be given a fair share of the cake,” the official stressed.
He said that the Company has the ability to pay the increases in wages and salaries but prefer to tie it to annual inflation.
“The union wishes to also express its concerns about the high influx of a steady stream of temporary staff that is being employed by the company to function in permanent positions…we are calling on management to appoint those employees to the positions within the establishment,” Shepherd urged.
Refusal
But GT&T also hosted it own press conference with Chief Executive Officer, Yog Mahadeo; Deputy General Manager of Public Communication, Terry Holder, and Charlene Parris-Sinclair, Industrial Relations Manager, also present.
Making it clear that GT&T stands committed to resolving the issues, Mahadeo explained that the union wanted information on staffers but after reviewing the request, GT&T decided not to allow it since it was felt that workers were the one to give such permission.
GT&T and GPTWU last met in early January.
The CEO, in addressing the accusations that GT&T preferred to work with temporary staffers denied that it was such a policy but rather a situation where the company is going through changes and decisions are now being made as to the directions. Regarding accusations that some workers may not be getting promotions, the official noted that he was one of the staffers that benefitted. He also pointed out that staffers who upgraded themselves would have been more likely the ones moving up.
Even union officials benefitted from training, he argued, declining to dwell on the 45 per cent pay raise being demanded by the union. He expressed surprise at the union calling a press conference and said that it was only when the press called that GT&T was aware that the matter had now spilled over to the public.
Regarding the matter reaching conciliation with the Ministry of Labour, Mahadeo noted that the “Conciliator” did not find GT&T refusal too unreasonable since the union could have gotten the details from their members.
The officials also stressed that it still stands willing to continue dialogue with the union and pointed out that details of finances is also available every quarter and mid-year when its US-parent company, ATN releases them.
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