Management should reconsider and pay GPL staffers their initial five percent

Mar 19, 2021 Letters

DEAR EDITOR,

Kaieteur News – The Staff of the Guyana Power and Light Inc. may take to the streets in a few days’ time after being told that they will not be getting any salary increases for the year 2020.
The negotiation team for the union – NAACIE and the Executive Management team of GPL composed of the DCEO and HR Head met in the Training Department hall in Sophia, Georgetown, to continue the already frustrated negotiation process. However, it was at this meeting that the Company’s team, which had previously proposed a percentage for increase in salaries over a three-year agreement, withdrew its proposal to increase salaries. The DCEO told the distraught gathering of workers’ representatives that the purchase of masks and building of sinks to wash hands have caused the company some expense that will result in the company’s inability to pay increases for the year 2020. This news did not find favour with the representatives present.
The disappointed team of NAACIE reminded the DCEO of the company’s hiring spree, the company has a top-heavy management – for which the company is financing mini-luxury cars for, paying hefty salaries with all benefits, and even making space within the current physical structures to house them in fancy offices and the list can go on and on.
The distressed team of NAACIE, who represented the workers, also wants the public to understand that the workers give-up their annual staff parties for all locations, annual sports, annual anniversary activities and inter-branch activities due to COVID-19, the stopping of overtime work, and meal allowances and yet all these activities which usually cost GPL 10 to 15 million dollars annually has been put into the pockets of Executive Management instead of their junior and senior staff hands. GPL did not shut its doors during the pandemic because it was listed as an essential service provider. The employees particularly meter readers, commercial staff, T&D, Design, and Emergency Department/teams worked tirelessly to keep the electricity on in Guyana, notwithstanding the cases of COVID-19 throughout the company. Now it is time to pay the staff their increases, management is being a bully. Management should reconsider and pay the staff their initial five percent.

Yours truly,
Workers

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