Strike action plan being disseminated to public schools

Oct 24, 2017 News

…as GTU voices concern about Govt.’s role in salary negotiations

A document is being prepared by the Guyana Teachers’ Union [GTU] and will be disseminated to public schools throughout the country before the end of this week; and by Monday strike action will commence.

GTU President, Mark Lyte

This was the declaration made by GTU President, Mr. Mark Lyte, yesterday, as he offered an update about plans to initiate strike action in retaliation to the non-response from Government regarding many concerns of the teachers and, by extension, the union.
According to Lyte, although the union had written to multiple officials and more recently voiced its concerns publicly through the media, “not a single official has responded. We have heard nothing from no one.”
It is for this reason, Lyte said, that the Union will be moving full speed ahead to engage the strike action it decided upon.
At a press conference last week, Lyte in the company of other GTU executives disclosed that strike action could commence as soon as this week if no response and fitting action was forthcoming from the ruling administration.
“We are in the processing of putting together a document to be sent around [to the various schools]…this means that they [Government] are getting a few more days to respond,” said Lyte, who feels the GTU has been especially slighted in recent years.
Lyte said that the union is particularly concerned that government seems to be in the forefront of salary talks.
“We are concerned about this particular matter, because we are hearing now in the media – and it seems to be well structured meeting – that the government is taking a position to say that they are in talks…not the Ministry of Public Service, but the Government, is in talks with the Guyana Public Service Union [GPSU] and they [Government] have actually made a proposal to the Public Service Union,” said Lyte.
But according to Lyte, even before Government’s talks with the GPSU, the GTU had long submitted its proposal for a renewed multi-year remuneration package for teachers.
The previous multi-year agreement inked between the union and the Ministry of Education expired at the end of 2015 at which point, Lyte said, the union’s proposal was promptly submitted.
He noted, though, that not only have negotiations for this proposal been glaringly stymied, but many other concerns raised by the union have been disregarded on too many occasions.
“Yet for all we have been doing we are repeatedly sidelined…we want answers to this,” said Lyte, who assured that “if you continue to push people’s backs against the wall they will take action.”
He speculated that the powers that be might have embraced the belief that “because teaching is a noble profession they don’t expect teachers to take certain action.”
But in order to prove their seriousness, Lyte said that teachers will be supporting the announced strike action.
Lyte said that the GTU has always had to agitate for its rights, unlike some other unions in recent years. When asked if the GTU is being sidelined because of the few numbers who usually support its industrial action, Lyte responded by highlighting, “I have not see the Public Service Union come out and agitate for anything publicly [recently], so I don’t see us not being out in large numbers, and they not being out at all, as being a reason for them being given attention.”
“At all times we are able to put together some support to treat with our concerns in the public,” Lyte emphasised.
The concerns of the union range from the non-progressive negotiation between the union and the Ministry of Education for increased teachers’ remuneration to the outstanding debunching payments.
Among the most recent concerns of the union include the fact that the Education Ministry has issued a circular that could see teachers having to work during their designated lunch period and concerns surrounding the national cycling, swimming and track and field championships. Lyte anticipates that in excess of 6,000 teachers will embrace the decision to strike, a move that could considerably impact the teaching-learning process in public schools.

Discover more from Kaieteur News

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

Latest News