Workers’ union begs government for livable salary

Nov 27, 2022 News

A handful of Protesters outside of the Office of the President, Vlissengen Road, Georgetown

Kaieteur News – Members of the General Workers Union (GWU) on Friday called on President Irfaan Ali to pay public servants a ‘livable wage’ while calling the recently announced 8 percent increase in public servants’ salaries as an insult.

The group protested the President’s office on Vlissengen Road, Georgetown, where they held placards demanding more from the government.

President of GWU, Norris Witter, who led the protest said, “He [Ali] has imposed an insulting and ridiculous number on the heads of the poor and suffering public servants of the country without even adhering to the process of collective bargaining”.

Witter said that an 8 percent increase will take the minimum wage of Public Servants close to $84,000 per month. This he said is insufficient given the rising cost of living. The GWU President suggested that Public Servants should be earning a minimum of $200,000. He said his calculation is based on a survey done by Ram and McRae’s accounting firm.

GWU President, Norris Witter protesting on Friday

The Union Leader referenced a statement made by Former PPP/C Government Minister, Dr. Nanda K. Gopaul, who had called on Unions in Guyana to demand better living wages for workers and to ensure that the wealth accrued from the ‘robust petroleum sector’ reaches the pockets of the ordinary man and bring improvement to the poor and needy.

Dr. Gopaul was at the time delivering a speech at the 54th Delegates Conference of the National Association of Agricultural Commercial and Industrial Employees (NAACIE) at the Umana Yana, Georgetown.

In his speech, he highlighted that the Government of Guyana (GoG) has been pursuing major infrastructural works around the country – but while that is taking place at a rapid pace – the same urgency is not placed in addressing the plights of the ordinary man.

“I have heard the phrase from workers that “we are a rich country with many poor people around”. There is need for that feeling of hopelessness, poverty and desperation to be erased from the minds of the ordinary man,” Dr. Gopaul said.

Witter said, Gopaul had told the conference that it will cost the average worker some $36,000 per month to cover transportation cost and pay the basic utilities of water, electricity and telephone while the Ram and McRae surveys estimated the price for a basket of food to feed a family of five to be around $117,000.

The GWU President, the two costs will amount to over a $150,000 per month.

“And that is still not a living wage because you have to have some for savings, for personal development and relaxation,” Witter said.

Moreover, Witter stated that President Ali has failed to consult and negotiate with the workers’ unions; instead he has allocated ‘crumbs’ for hard working public servants.

“President Ali has unilaterally decided what increase public servants should get without the process of collective bargaining and by doing so he has violated laws, violated treaties and denied the workers their legal right,” Witter told reporters.

Witter said he will stop protesting when the President calls union representatives to the table to negotiate a livable wage for public servants.

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