GTU ‘not aware of any ongoing negotiations’ with Govt. – demands outstanding matters in present agreement be fulfilled

Jul 13, 2019 News

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Despite recent proclamations by government ministers that there are ongoing negotiations with the Guyana Teachers’ Union [GTU] for a new multi-year remuneration package for public school teachers, reports out of the union are suggesting otherwise.

Speaking on the matter yesterday was GTU President, Mr. Mark Lyte, who revealed that “Unlike what was mentioned by the Minister of Education and the Minister of Finance, GTU is not aware of any ongoing negotiations.”
While the negotiation process between the union and a government-appointed high level committee had commenced in March, this publication was informed that a follow-up meeting slated for April 30 never came off.
In fact, Lyte confirmed yesterday that negotiations were halted more than two months ago, owing to some concerns the union has with an agreement which the government is yet to fully honour. That agreement spanned the period 2016-2018, and a number of clauses agreed upon are still outstanding, Lyte explained.
It was for this reason, the GTU President said, that the union had intimated to the negotiating committee that its members were not prepared to advance new negotiations.
“We are not willing to continue until all the outstanding matters in the present agreement are satisfied…so we don’t know that the negotiations are ongoing. What we know is that we have said to the Ministry of Education’s Permanent Secretary that we are not willing to proceed with the new proposal discussion after the very first meeting,” said Lyte.
“So that’s where we are at,” said Lyte, as he proceeded to list a number of matters that the union hopes government will quickly resolve. Among them are the issue of the two percent increase that some teachers should have seen added to their salaries since earlier this year.
The crux of the worries relating to this increase, Lyte explained, is in relation to the difference between the union and Education Ministry’s calculation.
This concern, Lyte said, was brought to the attention to the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary, but to date, nothing has been done to address the perceived discrepancy. Added to this, the GTU President said that the union is disturbed over the non-payment of promised debunching monies to teachers which should have also taken effect since earlier this year.
Government had agreed to pay teachers a one-off lump sum of $350M in debunching monies, after which teachers were expected to be paid on respective scales. Teachers had started receiving their payment, but from all indications, government had not kept its promise to place teachers on the promised scale, so as to sustain their monthly debunching payment.
Other issues of concern include failure on the part of government to make payable a sum of $10,000 for Special Needs teachers. Lyte is also worried that if government’s mode of operation continues, the revolving housing fund for teachers could be in jeopardy. He said that a Committee was set up in hopes of ensuring that teachers could benefit in the not too distant future.
“We have had three meetings so far,” said Lyte, as he turned to the issue of uniform allowance, which the government is also yet to honour.
“In spite of several efforts, we have not gotten a definite time when this allowance will be paid. They have not given a definite commitment. We are back and forth with them, but they have not honoured it…every time we are told that they are waiting on Finance for the go-ahead, but to date we have not been told July, August, or whenever it will be; nobody is saying anything,” the GTU President stated.
He added, “Our members are frustrated, they are asking when that payment will be done, but nobody is saying anything.”
Moreover, Lyte categorically asserted that, “The union is calling on government to honour the outstanding matters in the present agreement. We also call on the [Education] Minister to sign into effect or to give the go-ahead for the additional programmes for UG qualifications. I think there are about 11 programmes that should be recognised…There is no circular to treat with it, as of yet, and I heard she (the Minister) is talking about it, but I think everyone is waiting on her for whatever they have to do; how much money has to be paid or whatever.”
The concerns raised by the union follow pronouncements made by Lyte, mere months ago, that the relationship between the Ministry and union were improving. As the union opened its first Triennial Delegates’ Conference, he posited that healthy relations are paramount to any successful partnerships, even as he alluded to the two sides which had just last year end, amicably settled a deadlock for a multi-year remuneration package after countrywide industrial action had negatively impacted the education system.

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