The Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU) is threatening industrial action over the Donald Ramotar admi-nistration’s failure to keep its commitments to engage in negotiations of wages, salaries and allowances for public servants.
GPSU President Patrick Yarde, during a press conference yesterday at the union’s headquarters, accused the administration of irresponsibly handling its collective bargaining obligation, while revealing it had been about three months since the last correspondence from the Public Service Ministry on the subject.
He said since May, 2013, the GPSU submitted proposals to the Public Service Ministry for wages and salaries and the allowances for the period 2013 to 2015. Neverthe-less, he said commitments given by public officials as well as public statements made by President Ramotar and the Minister of Public
Service Dr. Jennifer Westford, that the government will pursue negotiations for wages, salaries and allowances with the union to date have not been fulfilled.
Yarde noted that as a result of the commitments not materialising, on June 6, this year, the union wrote to the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Public Service Hydar Ally. In response to the union’s letter, by correspondence dated June 12, he added, Ally stated that the ministry was engaging the Ministry of Finance on modalities regarding the issue of salary negotiation for public servants.
“Three months ago to date we have had no meeting,” Yarde said, while adding that the lack of response by the government is in conflict with an agreement existing between itself and that union. He said the agreement clearly and definitively states that the two parties must meet within ten days after a request is made, as is mandatory, in matters of this nature.
He further stated that the lack of response, is in breach of the Trade Union Recognition Act 1997. He said the Act requires the employer to treat with a recognised union and negotiate in good faith. “This clearly is a conduct of bad faith,” he said, while further noting that the government’s actions are also in conflict with both International Labour Organisation (ILO) conventions, ratified by the parliament of Guyana, and the Guyana Constitution.
When Stabroek News contacted Westford about the reason why no meeting was held between her ministry and the union, she declined to comment. She said that she did not know what Yarde said at the press conference and could therefore not respond.
Yarde stated that it was without hesitation and “clear conviction” that the union expressed its condemnation and disgust “with the government of Guyana’s insensitivity and callousness, in dealing with the hardships and economic difficulties being experienced by public sector workers.”
Although threatening industrial action, Yarde did not say when the action will take place. He did, however, mention that the union is not prepared to wait until the end of the year. “We would be welcoming public and civic society support in whatever form of action that we will take,” he said as he called for support as the union takes “whatever form of action is necessary to put an end to this abuse… executive lawlessness.”
Yarde said that the union wrote to Ally yesterday, expressing disgust with the “unacceptable conduct” and has also dispatched memoranda to its membership to mobilise and discuss for eventual industrial action to be pursued.
The GPSU’s last public service strike of major significance was in 1999. An effort last year fizzled out.
