Has the teachers’ union become a government tool?

May 27, 2017 Letters

Dear Editor,
Kindly permit me to express my disgust at the manner in which the Guyana Teachers Union is functioning. Since the new Government has taken office, the G.T. U. has become dormant. It begs the question; is the union now aligned to the new administration? Prior to the last election within the union, its president Mr. Mark Lyth had put forward a forty point plan for teachers with which he will negotiate with the Ministry of Education. To date nothing has been heard of that. Was that an election gimmick, Mr. Lyth? Additionally, the minimal $8000 uniform allowance has been cut by this government and the union did nothing. If that was negotiated with the previous government, what is/are the negotiations with the current administration? Has the union now become a toothless bulldog?
Teaching is one of the most demanding jobs in our society, and teachers need to be adequately compensated, especially when one has a family to maintain. Mr. Lyth needs to give disgruntled teachers answers quickly because soon there will be an exodus from this profession. I have known of teachers who migrated or simply walked off the job due to utter disgust at the level of salaries they received for their efforts. Moreover, the current government in its election campaign promised to make teaching one of the better paying jobs in this country. Again was that an election gimmick? Finally, Mr. Editor, the union needs to be more vibrant in terms of its negotiations with the government and should seek to inform teachers of the progress made in these negotiations which might just give them hope to continue in this noble profession.
Vijay Persaud

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