Teachers nationwide have been urged to be patient as the Guyana Teachers’ Union (GTU) and Government through Education Ministry continue ‘good faith talks’ on salary increases for 2024 onward.
Just four days ago, the Education Ministry reportedly made an initial proposal for a 7 per cent across-the-board increase for teachers for 2024, despite the Union’s previous proposal of 39.6 per cent.
In addition, the government had proposed a 6 per cent increase for 2025 and 2026 when the Union had requested 30 per cent.
In a video message to his social media page on Monday, the Union’s President, Mark Lyte revealed that the GTU rejected the government’s offer.
In this regard, he implored teachers countrywide to remain patient as both parties continue to negotiate for a fair agreement.
“When this Union, the Guyana Teachers’ Union give an undertaking in a room or to our members that we will carry out a particular position or take a particular position or carry out a particular mandate, we are going to stick with it,” Lyte affirmed.
“And so, I would like to appeal to our members to say to you all do not allow yourself to get worked up. Do not get worked up to raise your anxiety level over issues that are non-issues.”
Lyte added, “I want everyone to be at ease and to know that your Union is working on your behalf to ensure that the package signed with the Ministry of Education benefits not only teachers that are active in the system, but it benefits those persons who are retired.”
Apart from salary negotiations, Lyte said the GTU and the Ministry have made some progress in other areas.
In fact, he described the ongoing talks between the GTU and the Ministry to be in good faith.
Nevertheless, he assured teachers that the Union will push for a higher salary increase for them.
“As you have seen in the public’s domain, the Union has clearly said we have not accepted nor will we accept. If that is the position of Government to offer those percentages, we will not accept.”
Bilateral talks between the ministry and the union on the new 2024-2026 multi-year agreement commenced on July 11 after months of prolonged industrial action by teachers.
Earlier in the month, the GTU conceded to government’s proposal that salary increases for teachers should be determined under a new agreement from the current year onward.
The GTU had been pushing for a backdated collective bargaining agreement. But government, through the Education Ministry has maintained that it is fully prepared to work on a multi-year agreement from 2024 and not 2019 as being initially demanded by the union.
