The government’s application to withhold dues from the Guyana Teachers’ Union (GTU) by not deducting same from teachers’ salaries will come up in the Appeal Court on August 7, according to Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs Anil Nandlall.
The AG Chambers had filed an appeal against the judgement handed down by Justice Sandil Kissoon on April 19 barring the government from deducting salaries from striking teachers and from stopping the remittance of union dues to the GTU.
The appeal sought a stay of execution of part of the judgment that bars the Education Ministry from discontinuing the remittance of the dues to the Union.
That ‘Stay of Execution’ comes up in court on August 7 while a date is yet to be set for the overall appeal.
“We filed our Notice of Appeal and we are awaiting directions from the Court of Appeal in relation to that notice. However, we have also filed an application seeking a Stay of Execution on the part of the order that restrained the government from ceasing to collect the union dues and transmitting it to the union,” Nandlall explained on Tuesday evening during his programme ‘Issues in the News’.
He noted that the AG Chambers has submitted all affidavits and documents required for the case to proceed.
Submissions have to be filed by the GTU and the Trades Union Congress (TUC) which had applied to be a party to the case.
The Education Ministry had disclosed that every month, $700 is deducted from each unionised teacher and remitted to the GTU. This adds up to about $3.1 million monthly, and approximately $37 million annually.
Teachers proceeded on strike action twice this year demanding increases in wages and salaries and a multi-year agreement.
Since the strike was called off in June, the GTU and the Ministry have been engaged in discussions on the way forward.
