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Public Servants salary increases do not match world’s fastest growing economy – GTUC
Kaieteur News – Public servants are not being paid salaries that match the world’s fastest growing economy, an economy in the last eight years that announced 46 oil finds.
GTUC General Secretary, Lincoln Lewis
The Guyana Trade Unions Congress (GTUC) lamented in a statement that while in 2023, this country’s economy will earn US$1.88 Billion in oil revenue alone, workers, who are making it possible for the government to effectively and efficiently function, are being handed mere crumbs.
To make matters worse, the GTUC noted that the recent move by President Irfaan Ali to exclude the unions representing workers or engage in the collective bargaining process, is an insult to workers and the unions which represent them.
President Ali announced on Thursday that public sector workers will receive a $25, 000 bonus and certain categories of teachers will move from the lowest band in the salary scale to the highest.
According to the GTUC, this only tramples on the constitutionally protected right of teachers and public servants to engage in collective bargaining with the government through their unions; Guyana Teachers Union (GTU) and Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU), respectfully.
“This is not only in violation of Section 23 (1) of the Trade Union Recognition Act and Article 147 of the Constitution of Guyana, but also the Oath of Office President Ali took to uphold the Constitution and Laws of Guyana.”
According to a statement by the GTUC, “Section 23 (1) of the Trade Union Recognition Act requires the employer to treat with the union and negotiate in good faith. The government continues to operate in violation of this law. Workers continue to be abused by the government, thrown peanuts, and are expected to be welcoming of the disrespect.”
The GTUC said apart from the violation of the right to collective bargaining, a one-off payment of $25,000, which is equivalent to US $125.00, is an “insult and peanuts for a class of people that year-long, has kept the engine of government firing on all cylinders.”
The Union noted that the arbitrary increase on wage/salary bands that predate the oil economy also ignores the trade unions’ calls to respect collective bargaining and bring wage/salary bands in line with today’s economy.
GTUC is therefore calling on workers not to be fooled.
The union asserted that, “Workers deserve and must fight for more. Workers deserve earnings befitting an oil and gas economy, and such benefits are not only for foreign nationals but also local labour.”
It continued: “Workers are being paid less than they deserve, in oil rich Guyana, an economy where cost of living has outpaced earning, adversely impacting working conditions and standard of living, which will hinder workers’ motivation to perform at their best.”
Meanwhile, the GTUC noted that Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo at his Thursday press conference, sought to denounce the federation for having only Opposition supporters at the opening of its 5th Triennial Congress on Wednesday.
GTUC explained that it invited leaders from both the Opposition and the government.
“…The government sought to boycott the event; they should tell this nation why. This nation is also reminded that the PPP government ministers, including President Ali, attended the conferences of Federation of Independent Trade Union Congress (FITUG) and Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU),” the Union added.
Whilst GTUC said it has no problem with such participation, the union stressed that it would not be unfair to ask whether the government’s attendance and participation at those conferences were intended to signal to the nation that these unions and affiliates are PPP unions.
Further, the union said the government should answer whether their absence from the GTUC’s conference could be construed as part of their ‘One Guyana’ policy where the other half of society does not matter.
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