Teachers’ Union challenges Chief Education Officer to prove salary talks

Last Updated on Sunday, 3 March 2024, 18:33 by Denis Chabrol

The President of the Guyana Teachers’ Union (GTU) Mark Lyte on Sunday called on the nation’s Chief Education Officer, Saddam Hussain to prove that the bargaining agent and the Ministry of Education held talks on salaries by producing the agenda and minutes.

“Let them produce minutes that are signed by both sides- the Ministry of Education and the Guyana Teachers’ Union. Let those minutes  come forth and let those minutes say that we have spoken on financial matters and salary matters,” he said. Mr Lyte questioned the whereabouts of the agenda and minutes in order to settle the claim of pay talks.

Mr Lyte’s challenge to Mr Hussain came hours after  the Attorney General’s Chambers released an affidavit by the Chief Education Officer stating that contrary to the GTU’s allegation that teachers’ salaries were not the subject of discussions, at the very meeting of the 31st of January 2024, five of the eleven agenda items of that meeting related to salaries/ remuneration and the issue was thoroughly discussed with an agreement to resume that discussion at the next meeting fixed for 21st February 2024.

“These are lies! Nothing but lies!”, he said on a Facebook live, reiterating that discussions had focussed on education issues as the need had arisen.

Ahead of Monday’s continuation of the court-ordered mediation by Attorneys-at-Law Edward Luckhoo and Robin Stoby, the GTU President said the union has proposed terms of resumption.

He did not disclose the details of that proposal, but before the legal action the GTU had been on the record as saying that the terms of resumption should include immediate negotiation for increased salaries and allowances, no loss in pay for striking workers, and the resumption of the automatic deduction and remittance of union membership dues.

“We are not going back to school unless government agrees to our terms and this is not bullyism. This is standing our ground and this is what unions do,” he said. He said the “ball is in the government’s court to agree to our terms of resumption” that are before the mediators. The GTU President said “we believe that progress was made last Friday” and he hoped that the two sides would reach an accord on Monday to allow teachers and students to return to work three weeks before the end of the term on March 22, the deadline for completion and submission of School Based Assessments by March 14, mock examinations #2 on March 14 and the start of CXC and CAPE examinations on April 16, 2024.

The GTU President again queried why President Irfaan Ali last year assigned Minister of Governance and Parliamentary Affairs, Gail Teixeira, Minister of Education Priya Manickchand and the Minister of Public Service to speak about salary matters.

Dr Lyte said imposed salary increases and allowances that were last year announced by the President do not amount to collective bargaining to the detriment of 65 percent of teachers.

He heaped criticism on teachers, parents, public transportation providers and canteen operators/vendors who have either returned to work or have failed to show solidarity with the educators. “For those teachers, who ran back to the classroom, you are not helping the cause. For those teachers, who ‘chicken out’ and leave their colleagues outside for five weeks, you are not helping the cause,” he said.