Latest update January 18th, 2025 7:00 AM
Private Sector minimum wage now $60K
– Labour Union says, “We believe it when we see it.”
GWU on the 13th week of protest for the implementation of the $60,000 NMW
Kaieteur News – Labour unions particularly vocal over the adjustment of the $60,000 national minimum wage (NMW) remain unconvinced by President Irfaan Ali’s announcement to honour the increase until a date is set for the new wages to be paid. During an address at the 74th commemoration of the Enmore Martyrs Thursday last; more than two years after discussions on the issue, President Ali informed that Cabinet had finally agreed with the recommendation of the tripartite committee, and is thus supporting the new increase.
Labour unions have however called out the President for falling short on announcing a date for the implementation given that the matter has been on the table for such a lengthy period of time. The General Workers’ Union (GWU) which held its 13th consecutive weekly protest outside the Ministry of Labour yesterday, reiterating calls for the government to immediately adjust the wages and make it payable. GWU President Norris Witter told the Kaieteur News that the union remains “unconvinced” by the President’s announcement given the government’s record of failed promises.
The GWU leader expressed delight at the announcement but charged that, “no time was given” for the increase to take effect. He said that if Cabinet agreed to the increase then the Minister of Labour must sign the necessary documents that gazette the new NMW.
“When will this be done?” Witter questioned, “next year, tomorrow, next week?” “They make promises and renege on it,” Witter continued, pointing to the Public Procurement Commission (PPC) which he said was also promised, but more than two months later, the President is still to swear in the commissioners. On this matter, Witter said that the President again promised to swear in the members “soon” but that is yet to happen.
The issue at the core of the union’s protest is the stagnation of the national minimum wage at $44,200 per month since January 01, 2017, Witter highlighted. “The impact of the stagnation is amplified by the escalation of the cost of living occasioned by the Covid-19 pandemic and exacerbated by the Russia Ukraine conflict, among other factors.”
The Federation of Trade Unions of Guyana (FITUG) in its contribution to the recent NMW announcement said it welcomes cabinet agreeing to the monthly adjustment, but, “…recognised that the President stopped short of announcing the date of implementation though we expect that this will be clarified in the coming days.”
FITUG said that it long shared the view that the present NMW was woefully inadequate and that it needed upward adjustment. The increase became even more necessary given the spiraling cost-of-living which have largely been influenced by exogenous factors. FITUG said that although it recognized the government’s efforts to bring relief to citizens, “we contended that the improvement in the NMW would be more meaningful.”
With the implementation of the new wage, FITUG said it is hopeful that employers will be compliant. “We would urge that the Ministry of Labour to undertake appropriate sanitization activities to ensure that both employers and employees are aware of the changes. We are also expecting that no employer will advance the cry that it must reduce its workforce to implement the new NMW. Certainly, we believe, employers enjoyed an extended period of paying workers much less than they were deserving, and attempts to address this situation should not be used to reduce employment.”FITUG seeks nonetheless a careful analysis of the effects of the new NMW following its implementation to ensure that workers are not paid poverty wages, “and are able to meet the basis expectations of life in our rapidly developing country.”
To ensure Guyanese receive workable wages the GWU has submitted also that while the $60,000 increase is now being made; further consideration should be made for another increase to $88,000 soon. Given the current economic environment, Witter said that the union recognizes government’s initiative to pay part time workers $40,000 for 10 days of work and welcomes the relief gesture for citizens.
It was noted however that, “By this very initiative the government is also inadvertently admitting that the Minimum Wage should be somewhere in the vicinity of $80,000 per month, since that would be the salary for 22 days of the regular month of work. The GWU therefore recommends $88,000 per month as a reasonable interim adjustment which has already been activated by Vice President Dr. (Bharrat) Jagdeo.”
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