Latest update November 24th, 2024 12:54 AM
Teachers to take to the streets next week – Dr. Lyte
Kaieteur News – Teachers will resume protests next week in what has been described by President of the Guyana Teachers’ Union (GTU) Dr. Mark Lyte as a “strategic strike”. During a telephone interview with Kaieteur News Dr. Lyte reminded that the strike resumed on Thursday albeit teachers did not take to the streets immediately.
GTU President, Dr. Mark Lyte
“There is no protest today (Thursday). The strike begins today but teachers will be staying away from work today and tomorrow,” Dr. Lyte said adding that “Come next week we may very well have to take to the streets, because as you know a strike can be accompanied by a protest. Next week some days there will be protests and it will be countrywide. This time around we have to be more strategic with it.”
On Tuesday, the GTU announced its intended strike on Thursday while indicating that it has written to the Ministries of Education and Labour indicating its intention to resume strike action.
During a virtual press conference, Dr. Lyte said that since the 29-day strike held in February, the Union was unable to have discussions with the government on the multi-year proposals for increases in salaries. It was reported that the multi-year proposal covers a period of five years, 2019 to 2023. The Union had proposed a 25 percent salary increase in 2019 and a 20 percent increase for 2020-2023.
In response, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education Shannielle Hoosein-Outar in a letter addressed to the GTU President stated: “We are quite surprised at the content of your letter and the actions proposed. As indicated before, the Government of Guyana stands ready to continue engaging the Guyana Teachers’ Union on the multi-year agreement from 2024 onwards.”
The Ministry of Education has repeatedly said that its position on the GTU multi-year agreement is unchanged with Chief Education Officer (CEO) Saddam Hussain stating in March that “any multi-year agreement must start from the year 2024, not retroactively.”
Meanwhile, Dr. Lyte said the Union decided to resume strike action weeks ago because of the “absence of collective bargaining and an attempt on the part of the government, the Ministry of Education to address the condition under which teachers work especially as it relates to salaries”.
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