Scores of teachers continue to join hands in Region Two as the strike for better wages and salaries entered its twelfth day in the Cinderella County.
Yesterday, the size of the assembled strikers was smaller as some of the teachers chose to stay at home rather than going to the picket line. But the teachers, in unison, said they will continue to join hands in the fight against “unfair” and “unjust” wages and salaries.
Head teacher of the CV Nunes Primary, Cheryl Peters-Moore, said that teachers continue to struggle with the rising cost of living and despite those increases every day, teachers continue to receive the same salary in spite of geographic location. She said that single-parent teachers are the ones that are suffering the most since they have to provide money for their children to do extra lessons and their meagre salaries cannot sustain them until their next pay cheque.
“So we have to consider all these things, there are many selfish people out there, some of them don’t have children, we are in this together, we stand in solidarity, the change has to come now,” Moore said. Organizer of the strike, Takurdeen Durga, congratulated all the teachers who showed up. He said he received a call where someone wanted to pack hampers for all the teachers in Region Two. Durga said at the end of the day there are hundreds of viewers across the world.
“This has passed the local level. It is more international now, I can tell you, and former teachers are asking how they can assist. There are people who are not present here with us but they are supporting us, there are people who are with us in faith,” Durga told the teachers. Teachers continued their chant around the Anna Regina high bridge and said that every day they have to find $21,000 for tents and chairs but that a donor was willing to continue funding this cost. Speaking on the issue of union dues, the teachers said they were asked to pay up their dues for the remaining 11 months.
“Without this union, you would have been in heavy jeopardy. I always like to talk, when people feel they [the union] are doing bad for you, they are actually doing you a good” Durga said.
“We are asking for more money, by the time our salary comes it’s finished. That is why we want more money to match this high cost of living in Guyana”, Meenada Jairam said. The teachers said that the Guyana Teachers Union will continue to strike until there is collective bargaining between the ministry and the union.
