The Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU) yesterday chided the APNU+AFC government for not observing collective bargaining in its budget announcement of wage hikes for public servants and it also queried why these increases are effective from July 1st this year and not from January 1st.
“While the Union was impressed with the scope of the (budget) presentation, much of the content, articulation and lucidness, all of which had been lacking for many years, the process of collective bargaining was not respected”, the GPSU said in a statement.
The union rejected this approach which it said is in conflict with the undertaking given by the Govern-ment to respect the collective bargaining process. The GPSU said that it will view this announcement as an interim measure pending negotiations as was promised.
The previous PPP/C government had imposed annual wage increases for many years and this had been strongly criticised by the union.
In addition, the GPSU said that it would also like to remind the Minister that since 2014 the Public Service has been without salary scales.
It said that the manner of treating with the $50,000 minimum wage announced in Monday’s budget will compound this already untidy situation and disproportionately apply increases to salaries of Public Servants adding to their prevailing frustration.
The GPSU also took issue with what it said was the inadequacy and insensitivity in which the new government had handled a pay increase for sweepers/cleaners. The GPSU said it had pursued this matter for several years and the previous PPP/C government had stated that it would regularise the pay issue for this category, recognising them as full time workers retroactive to July 2013, the date of the previous new minimum wage order. This pledge was not fulfilled, the union said.
“These workers are fulltime workers, who are there to keep the sanitary facilities in schools clean, ensuing that the students’ surroundings are healthy, conducive to learning and not left to the risk of an unhealthy environment. They are our future”, the GPSU asserted.
It stated that at its first meeting with President David Granger on June 12th, 2015 it had brought the issue to his attention and at a subsequent meeting at the Ministry of Finance on July 20th, 2015 the matter was again raised with the Minister of Finance, Winston Jordan during discussion of budget proposals.
“We consider the response of $315 per hour disheartening and call on the Government to implement what was previously agreed to. The Union in registering its disappointment with what was stated in the Budget …reiterated its position that this matter be addressed consistent with its representation”, the GPSU declared.
It added that it is not insensitive to the wide range of considerations that were addressed in the budget and the obvious difficult situation the Government encountered on entering office. It also said that the relief announced for the old age pensioners is fully merited and deserving. The union added that it also noted the Ministry of Finance acknowledging the commitment given to set up a committee to review allowances paid to public officers. The union said that while this action is commendable it wants expeditious action to resolve this decades-long outstanding grievance.
