- Guyana: Teachers Union says national wide strike would continue
Wednesday’s Guyana Teachers’ Union (GTU) announcement that the eight-day countrywide strike by teachers would continue indefinitely suggested that other trade unions would join in support.
“We have gotten the solidarity and support from the other unions, and they will show their solidarity in a tangible way as well, so you may very well have other unions coming out, calling out their members and having a massive state shutdown,” said GTU president Dr. Mark Lyte.
Does this government want that so close to an election? Do you want to enrage those who put you in office?he asked.
Instead of collective bargaining, the government met with a diverse group of teachers last year to hear their concerns.
Last December, Senior Finance Minister Dr. Ashni Singh announced a 6.5% salary increase for over 54,000 public servants, teachers, disciplined service members, and government pensioners, giving them an additional GUY$7.5 billion in disposable income.
The government considers teacher industrial action “illegal,” and Lyte said the GTU and its umbrella confederation, Guyana Trades Union Congress, discussed it on Tuesday.
Lyte said the union planned to hold a 1,500-person rally in Georgetown to pressure the Irfaan Ali government to negotiate.
“We won’t return to class until our demands are met. I promise, comrades. This must cease through fruitful engagement and a government pledge to meet with Teachers’ Union representatives and settle our dispute amicably, the GTU president added.
He advised teachers to “stop complaining about salary cut” since “we are in this for the long haul,” estimating that 6,000 teachers will lose income for being on strike.
The GTU said it will “challenge this undemocratic decision of the government in the courts of Guyana,” adding that it followed legal protocols with appropriate notification for this strike action.
“Colleagues, let us not be intimidated by a group that believes Guyana belongs to them,” the GTU said, reassuring teachers that it is aware of the “missive in circulation from the Ministries of Education and Local Government” about docking teachers’ salaries.
Attorney General Anil Nandlall has not ruled out police investigating the union for failing to file its yearly financial returns.
He accused the GTU of a politically motivated and “unlawful” strike against the government and of failing to submit audited and financial statements to the Auditor General and Registrar of Commerce, which could lead to a police investigation.
“Criminal offences date back 20 years for not filing these annual returns. If we were vindictive and wanted to get revenge on the union, we might have given the police the file and said, “Look, investigate.”
Criminal crimes have occurred. “I am not saying the government will close the option, but it is there,” he said.
