The Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU) has informed the government that it has rejected the 8 percent pay increase for public servants this year as the final position on the matter, while also indicating its displeasure over what it termed the “arbitrary imposition” of the increase.
The GPSU in a press release yesterday said that it is now pursuing conciliation through the Ministry of Labour and letters to this effect were sent on Monday to Dr. Nanda Gopaul, Permanent Secretary, Office of the President, with responsibility for the Public Service Minis-try; and Chief Labour Officer Yoganand Persaud with copies to President Bharrat Jagdeo, Minister of Labour, Manzoor Nadir and Minister of Public Service Dr Jennifer Westford.
President Jagdeo earlier this month granted approval for an 8 percent across-the-board increase to be paid to government employees with effect from 1st January 2011.
The 8 percent increase will be payable to all public servants and members of the disciplined services, while teachers will get a 3 percent across-the-board hike with effect from 1st January 2011 on top of the 5 percent increase previously paid by government with effect from the same date in accordance with the multi-year agreement concluded between Government and the Guyana Teachers Union.
The GPSU noted in its release that over the years and as recently as October 20 this year it has been meeting with Dr Gopaul and while there was movement on some matters, the sore issue that continues to plague the negotiating parties are the finalizing of discussions on salaries, wages and allowances. It has become very clear that the negotiations on these matters “at the bilateral level have reached an impasse.”
The union said that it wrote President Jagdeo on October 31 to request his intervention into these urgent matters and also to register its displeasure and dissatisfaction with the way in which his administration continues to negotiate in bad faith, showing scant regard for collective bargaining agreements.
According to the release, the union views the president’s latest decision of an 8% increase in salaries and wages as a response to our letter to his office dated October 30, 2011 and as a result the executive council held a special meeting on November 12, 2011 to discuss the continued arbitrary imposition of increases to salaries and wages.
Correspondence was then sent to Dr Gopaul expressing the displeasure with the arbitrary imposition of the 8% increase for this year and the union made it clear that it rejected this as the final position on the matter.
The GPSU also recalled that on September 24, 2009 it submitted a proposal for a three-year wage package for the years 2010, 2011 and 2012. The union also said that over the years it has exercised considerable restraint and patience following the submission of these documents and has tirelessly sent several pieces of correspondence to the government requesting the resolution of these matters.
