Govt. and GTU condemned for imposing “starvation” wage package on teachers – WPA says deal is an insult

Aug 28, 2024 News

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Kaieteur News – The Working People’s Alliance (WPA) has condemned the Guyana Teachers’ Union and the Government of Guyana for what it described as the imposition of a starvation wage package on teachers.

Government last week signed off on a 10% salary increase deal and other incentives with the union for teachers. However, the package has been rejected by majority of the teachers and has divided the leadership of the GTU with calls now being made for the President, Dr. Mark Lyte to be removed.

In a statement issued on Tuesday the WPA said: “the imposition of a ten percent increase in the first instance is grossly inadequate when one takes into consideration the steep rise in cost of living  coupled  with the financial capacity of the government. It is an insult to our teachers to grant them such a meager increase on their already ridiculously low salaries while the government spends huge sums on other areas of the economy. Granting a ten percent increase on salaries of $120,000 or less (which more than half of our teachers earn) is tantamount to cruel and unusual punishment. How can a government which boasts of Guyana’s high growth rate fight so hard to deny its teachers a living wage?”

The WPA said it is, therefore, forced to conclude that the government was driven by an extra-industrial relations agenda. “Any honest appraisal of the government’s actions throughout this process should leave no doubt about its non-commitment to collective bargaining and to a living wage for the country’s teachers. The bullying of the union at every twist and turn is unparalleled in Guyana’s post-colonial history. In the end, the package is more a reflection of the government’s initial unreasonable offer than a negotiated settlement or compromise. While collective bargaining was forced on the government by the court, the final outcome represents a serious undermining  of this cardinal principle of industrial relations.”

The WPA said it is also appalled at the government’s insensitivity to criticisms of real and perceived racial bias in the distribution of income to the various sections of government workers. “That the majority of teachers are of one racial group which does not support the government should in normal circumstances temper the big-stick. hardline approach. But the government seemed oblivious to that reality.  In addition to its racial insensitivity, the WPA said it is incensed at the manner in which the government appeared unsympathetic to the mostly women teachers. “We view this economic brutality of women as a backward step that scars Guyana’s image. In a country where women’s work is undervalued, this latest assault is unacceptable.”

Judicial branch

According to the WPA even the intervention by the judicial branch that forced a return to collective bargaining did not overly deter the government. “WPA sees this political stubbornness and racial insensitivity as a worrying development that could have serious consequences for the expansion of democratic governance.”  The party noted that government’s argument that attendant allowances in areas such as health and housing amount to benefits for the teachers is at best misleading, noting that allowances can never be a substitute for wages. In any case, the allowances granted fall way short of what the GTU had proposed. Further, a perusal of the allowances granted by the government shows a bias towards those at the higher end of the salary scale. With the vast majority of teachers at the lower end, the allowances are at best negligible.”

“In the circumstances, the GTU’s acceptance of the package is baffling. After taking strike action for seventy-five days and giving up its initial proposal of bargaining from 2019 rather than from 2024, the union in the end has delivered nothing of consequence to its membership.  The increases of 10%, 8 % and 9% over the next three years amount to approximately a third of the union’s proposal. It is in essence a violation of the membership’s mandate to its leadership to accept nothing less than 29.6%. When one takes into consideration taxes and the rising cost of living, most teachers would likely see little or no increase in real terms.”

Noting that this is a serious blow to trade unionism, which is already in a weakened state, the WPA said it sympathises with teachers and other public servants who express a vote of no-confidence in their unions. “The apparent non-democratic manner in which a section of the GTU leadership is alleged to have acted adds insult to injury. WPA, therefore, has no hesitation in expressing support for any rebellion by the teachers against the agreement and against their union leadership. The culture of wanton betrayal of workers by their unions is overbearing and must be confronted by the workers.”

Finally, the party said given the sad state of public education in Guyana, it continues to believe that adequate remuneration for teachers is a perquisite for a renewal of the system. “The results of the recent CSEC examinations show the unchecked downward spiral. If teachers are not paid a living wage, many suitable candidates would not be attracted to the profession while those in the profession would leave for greener pastures. Further, government cannot demand higher standards from teachers when they pay them inadequate wages. If WPA is part of the next government, it would in the first instance grant the current wage increases proposed by the unions which we think are reasonable. We would then engage the union towards bringing teachers’ salaries on par with those in other CARICOM countries and consistent with Guyana’s vastly improved economic profile. WPA would also implement a Universal Basic Income for all citizens which would further enhance our teachers’ economic security.

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• Dr. Mark Lyte, Government, Guyana, Guyana Teachers Union, President, starvation

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