Teachers’ Union, Education Ministry agree to multi-year period for salary hikes

Last Updated on Thursday, 7 March 2024, 18:29 by Denis Chabrol

GTU President Dr Mark Lyte and other union executives outside the Ministry of Education after Thursday’s talks

Top officials of the Guyana Teachers’ Union and the Ministry of Education on Thursday ended fruitful talks, with the employer agreeing to consider proposed salary increases from 2019 to 2023.

GTU President Dr Mark Lyte said the Union succeeded in getting the government side to backdown from its position that the multi-year agreement should begin from 2024.

The GTU’s proposal provides for 25 percent in 2019 and 20 percent for 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023.

Already, the union Prssident said his side would not be settling for single digit increases. “We’re not going to accept single digits,” he said.

He said the two sides also decided that instead of Terms of Reference, there would be “signed minutes at the end of each meeting.” “That becomes a binding arrangement at the end of every session,” he added.

Dr Lyte said he was “a little more positive” Thursday afternoon in contrast to “serious disagreements” about the multi-year agreement  “I think towards the end of thevday we were able to agree on the way forward so that this process will result in a signed document,” he added.

The two sides are to resume what he acknowledged as “collective bargaining” next Tuesday at 9:30 am.

Thursday’s talks stemmed from a High Court-ordered mediated agreement between the GTU and the Ministry of Education, marking an end to a one-month long strike by public school teachers for collective bargaining for increased salaries and allowances.

The government’s delegation included the Chief Education Officer, Deputy Chief Education Officer (Administration), Deputy Chief Education Officer (Amerindian Affairs) and an Assistant Chief Education Officer.

The GTU’s side was led by Dr Lyte and included General Secretary Coretta Mc Donald, 2nd Vice President Collis Nicholson, Vanessa Kissoon and former GTU President Colin Bynoe.