On 29 November 2014, the Government announced a five per cent increase in the wages and salaries for public servants earning in excess of $50,000 per month and an eight per cent increase for those earning less than $50,000, retroactive to 1 January 2014. There was, however, no consultation with the Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU) before the increases were agreed upon, contrary to the collective bargaining agreement signed on to by the Government with GPSU. The failure to involve the workers’ representatives, and the imposition of arbitrary increases, have been a regular feature of the Administration since the mid-1990s.
Salary increases and the National Budget
In the past, increases in wages and salaries were met from the line item – Revision of wages and salaries – in the Ministry of Finance’s budget. Following the