Education Chief tells court salary negotiations with GTU happened but provides no records to support claim

Mar 22, 2024 News

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Kaieteur News – While maintaining that discussions and negotiations for teachers salary increase took place, Chief Education Officer (CEO) of the Ministry of Education, Saddam Hussain told the Court on Thursday that he had no records to support this claim.

Under further cross examination by Attorney for the Guyana Teachers Union (GTU) Darren Wade the CEO failed to point the court to documents that would confirm that negotiations between the two sides took place on the Union’s multi-year agreement for the period 2019-2023.

In its application before the High Court, the GTU has challenged Government’s decision to deduct pay from the salaries of striking teachers, is seeking an order to block the administration from moving ahead with a decision to discontinue the deduction of union dues from the salaries of teachers on behalf of the Union and another order for the government to engage in collective bargaining for teachers pay increase.

During the hearing before Justice Sandil Kissoon, Hussain told the court “I do not agree that there were no negotiations, it was just not recorded.” The CEO in an attempt to support his position, pointed the court to at least 10 documents– all agendas for meetings – dating back to November 2020 to as recent as June 2023, when specific aspects of the proposal such as de-bunching, the housing revolving fund and scholarships, were listed for discussion.

However, it was pointed out by the attorney that the issues listed only served a certain category of teachers. “For instance de-bunching only some teachers would benefit from this…the scholarships only 50 teachers would benefit from scholarship to attend the University of Guyana as per your discussion… This has nothing to do with salaries,” Wade enquired.

“Not necessarily,” Hussain replied.

Meanwhile, Senior Counsel Roysdale Forde who appeared on behalf of the Guyana Trade Union Congress (GTUC) had similar questions for the CEO. Forde mainly focused on the time when the negotiations would have occurred. In response, Hussain again maintained that negotiation happened but he could say when it commenced since “it was not recorded.” Yesterday was second day cross examination for the Education Chief.

Hussain was cross-examined on Wednesday after Vice President (VP) of the GTU Julian Cambridge testified that financial matters were discussed during the meetings between the Union and the Education Ministry but maintained that it was not in the context of collective bargaining.

In response to questions as it relates to the salary matters, the CEO told the court that minutes of the meetings between the Union and the Ministry would point to the discussions on salary increases.

However, when he was called upon to indicate where in the minutes that discussion was done, the CEO could only point to talks about salary increases for teachers who were promoted in the system. “You said there were discussions and subsequent increase of teachers salaries…these increases that you speak of is not the ones that were universally done for all public servants in Guyana?,” queried attorney for GTU, Darren Wade.

“No,” Hussain replied even as Wade tried to ascertain exactly when the discussions and subsequent increase of teachers’ salaries took place. Hussain maintained that the salary increases he spoke of were not in relation across-the-board increases for public servants.

“These increases were never discussed by the Union and the Ministry of Education before it happened?” Wade enquired further. “No they were not,” the CEO responded.

Alluding to the minutes of the statutory meetings between the GTU and the Education Ministry, Wade asked the CEO to point to the record that show that salary/ wages were on the agenda of the meetings and were discussed. Hussain maintained that the minutes spoke to the discussions of salary increases but he only referenced an instance where talks surrounded increase for teachers who qualified for promotions within the system.

“Mr. Hussain sir, but these increases are not across-the-board increases you would agree with me,” clarified the lawyer. “I am sure what you mean that is not my or …the Ministry’s understanding of salary increase talks,” Hussain stated.

Justice Kissoon then interjected. He explained to the CEO that such a discussion would take place between the employer and employees towards a universal hike for all workers. The judge explained further that these increases would not necessarily be based on a particular condition such as a person’s qualification. “It’s across-the-board which means everyone can benefit,” Kissoon asserted. As a result of the clarification provided by the Court, Hussain admitted that he was not in possession of the minutes which spoke to discussions for salary increases.

“I don’t have the minutes here where across-the-board increases for teachers were discussed,” Hussain said. The CEO’s cross-examination is expected to continue tomorrow at 10 before Justice Kissoon.

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• CEO, cross examination, education, GTU, teacher’s salary

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