Delays in salary hike push GPL workers to the streets

Feb 13, 2025 News

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By Shania Williams

Kaieteur News-Workers of the Guyana Power and Light Inc. (GPL) backed by their union – National Association of Agricultural, Commercial, and Industrial Employees (NAACIE) took to the streets on Wednesday to protest the delay in the government’s long-awaited approval of a seven percent salary increase.

The salary hike, which was to be implemented in January 2025, was agreed upon after extensive negotiations between the workers’ union, GPL and the government in 2024. However, despite the agreement, Finance Minister Dr. Ashni Singh has yet to grant the approval to sign off on the 7% salary increase agreement, leaving workers frustrated and without updates.

Frustrated by the long wait, General Secretary of the NAACIE Dawchan Naggasar led the protest, which began Wednesday morning at various GPL office branches. The first protest took place at GPL’s Sophia, Georgetown branch around 11:00hrs, with workers carrying placards and chanting slogans like “No money, no work!” and “Powership come in, and we can’t get paid!”

The protest moved to GPL’s headquarters on Main Street, Georgetown, where commercial workers had gathered outside the building. However, the protest was put on hold after GPL management responded informing Naggasar that they would contact the union by Thursday morning to give an update on the agreement. “Management has reached out to us and the latest by tomorrow (today) morning, they will give us a word on the way forward,” Naggasar said.  He warned, however, that if the company does not follow through with the communication, the protests would resume.

Speaking with Kaieteur News on Wednesday, Naggasar explained the workers’ frustration. “On 24^th January, we agreed to accept the 7% increase and we informed GPL and the Chief Labour Officer and this is problem we have now because we didn’t sign off as yet. How long we don’t sign off, the workers won’t get pay. GPL told us that the Minister of Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh has to see the proposal agreement and then give the go ahead. To date, we have not gotten a definite response.”

Several workers also voiced their frustrations during the protest. Andrew Sparman, one of the workers said, “we are extremely frustrated. Every time workers ask questions to find out what is going on with the negotiation, no answer is being given. We waiting and every time, the NAACIE release information to the staff saying that they are still waiting, the workers start getting agitated. Like how long more, 2024 gone already, we in 2025, why we can’t seal the deal on the negotiation. Just imagine living off of last year’s salary into this year,” he said.

Kaieteur News attempted to reach the Ministry of Finance through the Public Relations Officer, for comment regarding the delay, but at the time of publication, no response had been received.

The issue dates back to June 28, 2024, when NAACIE submitted a proposal to GPL for increases in wages and salary and other benefits. The first meeting took place on September 27, 2024. “GPL inform the negotiation team that in terms of across-the-board increases, they will have to wait for the pronouncement of the Stakeholder, and we continued to discuss the other benefits.” NACCIE said in a statement last year.

On December 10, 2024, President Irfaan Ali announced an agreement between the government and the Public Service Union for an across-the-board increase of 10% for 2024 and 8% for 2025 with additional increases/movements in salary scales which will bring the total average increases on salary to 26% and increases in other benefits.

NAACIE clarified that their agreement with GPL includes three parts: (a) a 3% annual automatic scale increment paid every January, (b) an annual performance incentive (a one-time payment), and (c) an across-the-board increase. However, workers were dismayed by GPL’s initial offer of 7% increase, which they rejected. They argued that the 3% automatic increment is an in-scale increase, and not all employees qualify for it. Additionally, the performance incentive does not add to their salaries, leaving workers dissatisfied with the company’s response. The union demanded the 10% across-the-board increase that was agreed upon by the stakeholders, but GPL refused. However, the union met again with the company in January and agreed to the 7% increase. The workers are now awaiting Minister Singh to see the proposal agreement then give GPL the go ahead to sign.

(Delays in salary hike push GPL workers to the streets)

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• GPL, Ministry of Finance, NACCIE, salary increase

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