The Guyana Public Service Union yesterday announced in a statement that protest action/marches against the impositions of wages and salaries will commence tomorrow at 11hrs.
“These protest actions are a result of the arbitrary impositions of increases on salaries and wages to public servants from the year 2000 to 2013 which were all rejected. Protest actions have commenced throughout the country to heighten awareness of the plight of you, our members and to challenge and to put an end to the continued abuse,” the statement said.
There was no indication yesterday whether the GPSU had acquired permission from the police for the march.
The union had issued a press release earlier this week notifying that it was seeking permission from the police for the march. The police also did not issue a statement on this matter yesterday.
According to the GPSU statement, the route for this march commences from the GPSU’s Head-quarters, 160 Regent and Shiv Chanderpaul Drive, Bourda, Georgetown down Regent Street to the junction of Vlissengen Road, South along Vlissengen Road to the junction of Vlissengen Road and Brickdam, West along Brickdam to the junction of Brickdam and High Street, North along High Street into the Western Side of Main Street to the junction of Main and Lamaha Street, East to the junction of Lamaha Street and Eastern Side of Main Street, South along the Eastern side of Main Street into High Street to the junction of High Street and Regent Streets, East along Regent Street back to the GPSU Headquarters.
The statement further said that all members of the union are expected to participate and that the union is also extending an invitation to civil society to join them in this struggle for fair and equal treatment by the employer, the Government of Guyana, and for social and economic justice.
In recent weeks there have been scattered protests by public servants at the public hospital in the city and other facilities. The government has not shown any sign so far of a compromise with the union over the 5% payout.
