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Public servants increases…Lack of consultation with GPSU won’t happen again – Harmon
Amidst criticisms that it imposed salary increases for public servants, Government on Wednesday said that the issue will be corrected in coming months.
Responding to questions yesterday, Minister of State, Joseph Harmon said that there was little time to prepare the 2015 National Budget.
This week, the Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU) expressed unhappiness over the increases for salaries, saying it will acknowledge it as an interim measure, and not the way the new Government is expected to operate when it comes to treating collective labour agreements.
According to Harmon, a Commission of Inquiry is to be appointed this week to examine salaries and working conditions, among other things, for public servants. It will be headed by Professor Harold Lutchman.
The minister said that Government is well aware of the linkage between poor pay and the quality of services being offered.
Following Monday’s budget presentation by Finance Minister Winston Jordan, GPSU noted that while the union was impressed with the scope of the presentation, much of the content, articulation and lucidness – all of which had been lacking for many years – the process of collective bargaining was not respected.
Minister of State, Joseph Harmon
GPSU President, Patrick Yarde
“The union also wishes to state that it is not insensitive to the wide range of considerations that were addressed and the obvious difficult situation the Government encountered coming into office. (We are) also noting the variety of challenges they face and the serious widespread irregularities and corruption that have been unraveled within a very short period. While this is commendable, some of these occurrences ought to have been detected in Parliament by the relevant sub-committees.”
The union lauded the relief for the old age pensioners, which it said is fully merited and deserving.
“We have noted the Ministry of Finance acknowledging the commitment given to set up a committee, to review allowances paid to public officers, with personnel from the Ministry of Finance/Public Service Ministry/Guyana Public Service Union.”
While this action is commendable, the union believes that action should expeditiously be taken to bring resolution to the decades-long outstanding grievance.
“Notwithstanding these positives, the GPSU takes issue with the inadequacy and insensitivity that the sweeper/cleaner matter was dealt with. This is a matter the union has been pursuing for several years. The previous administration had publicly stated that it would regularize the pay issue for these personnel i.e. recognizing them as full time workers retroactive to July 2013, the date of promulgation of the new minimum wage order. This undertaking was publicly stated by the then Secretary to the Cabinet, Dr. Roger Luncheon, but was not fulfilled.”
The workers, GPSU argued, are fulltime workers who are there to keep the sanitary facilities in schools clean, ensuring that the students’ surroundings are healthy, conducive to learning and not left to the risk of an unhealthy environment.
GPSU pointed out that in its first meeting with President David Granger on June 12th, 2015, the matter was raised.
“The union is registering its disappointment with what was stated in the budget and reiterated its position that this matter be addressed consistent with its representation. Another sore issue is what appears to be another imposition of wages and salaries, this action is also compounded by the effective date of July 1st, 2015 and not the legitimate date of January 1st, 2015.”
GPSU said it is rejecting this approach which is in conflict with the undertaking given by the Government to respect the collective bargaining process and will view this announcement as an interim measure pending negotiations as was promised.
“That apart, the GPSU would like to remind the Minister that since 2014 the Public Service has been without salary scales because of the thoughtless impositions of 5% and 8% on wages and salaries as well as the disruption of the relativities of the pay bands.
The manner of treating with the $50,000 minimum pay as announced on Monday will compound this already untidy situation and disproportionately apply increases to salaries of public servants adding to their prevailing frustration and displeasure.”
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