[www.inewsguyana.com] – The Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU) says the announced five percent wage increase for Public Servants is not only illegal but an indecent proposal by the Government.
GPSU in a release on Saturday (November 23) said it views “the illegal 5% imposition of salaries and wages as insensitive, grossly disrespectful and ruthless.”
The body, who wasted no time in chiding the Administration added that while Government Spokesman Dr. Roger Luncheon who made the announcement happily gloated about the increase, the rest of the labor force whose 5% realizes the bare minimum, finds this payout as a meager aid towards defraying some of the outstanding debt that had piled on their shoulders over more than a year of neglect by an uncaring employer.
“Christmas then is but a name to many, but truly enjoyed by a few. Kudos to you and the Government you serve, Dr. Luncheon.”
The GPSU said President Donald Ramotar at a meeting in January had asked for a multiyear proposal for wages and salaries and gave assurances that the annual impositions would cease.
The body said in full compliance to this request it submitted its multiyear proposals for the years 2013, 2014 and 2015 however, to date the President is yet to respond.
“Is this an acceptable attitude for a self-proclaimed working class Government? Is this the desired attitude that we as a nation would like to inculcate in future leaders? Is this representative of our nation’s professionalism?” the body questioned.
GPSU argued that the Appropriation Act reflected an allocation of GYD$29,130B to meet expenditure for Wages and Salaries and a further amount of $4.404B for the revision of wages and salaries in the 2013 Budget and as such Public Servants should receive more.
The GPSU said it will begin engaging in a series of activities to heighten awareness about the plight of the public servants and called on all members to challenge ‘this abuse of authority’.
“This is in conflict with ILO Conventions that were ratified by the Government of Guyana and which the Government of Guyana is obligated to observe. It is also in violation of the laws of Guyana, in addition to legally binding Collective Agreements,” the statement added.
It was also noted that members of the GPSU at the recently concluded 20th Biennial Delegates Conference decided, among other things, that they would no longer tolerate the insufficient and untimely imposition of increases in wages and salaries, and the protracted denial, since 1995, of increases in allowances.
