Public Servants benefitting from salary increases under GPSU deal – Jagdeo

Vice President Dr Bharrat Jagdeo has reminded that public servants are already benefitting from salary increases in keeping with the landmark two-year agreement between the Guyana Government and the Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU).

Under the agreement signed in December 2024, public servants received a retroactive 10% salary increase effective from January 1, 2024.

They received a further 8% salary increase in 2025.

During a press conference today, Jagdeo explained that, “normally if you don’t reach agreement with the union, you would collect the whole year’s increase at Christmas time…but we had a negotiated arrangement with the union so people started collecting their payment for this year earlier in the year.”

For the years ahead, he noted that public servants’ salaries will be negotiated through collective bargaining and the necessary budgetary provisions will be made.

“The president didn’t need to announce that now, that will be in the budget for salary increases next year,” the VP noted, referring to President Dr Irfaan Ali’s address to the nation where he outlined his government’s five-year social and economic development plan for the country.

Meanwhile, in the GPSU agreement, public servants in Grades 1 to 6 with a minimum of four years of service were moved to the midpoint of their current scale, resulting in salary increases of up to 13% for some employees. Those with a minimum of eight years of service within Grades 1 to 6 were moved to the maximum of their scale, leading to salary increases of up to 26%.

Additionally, public servants in Grades 7 to 8 with at least four years of service in their current scale were eligible for an additional monthly amount equivalent to the nominal difference between the minimum and midpoint of Grade 6, providing increases of up to 11%.

The government also introduced qualification allowances to incentivise education and professional development, effective January 1, 2025. Holders of ACCA qualifications received an additional $15,000 monthly, while individuals with master’s and doctoral degrees received $22,000 and $32,000 monthly, respectively.