The Guyana Teachers’ Union (GTU) yesterday said that its resumed strike action will continue unless there is some significant development.
Today will be 49 days in total since teachers first took to the streets on February 5th in protest against the government’s unwillingness to enter collective bargaining on salaries.
According to GTU President Mark Lyte, from today until Friday, teachers will remain at home, resting. At around 4:30 pm today, they will meet with the executive members of the Union via Zoom. This discussion, Lyte explained, will address the topic “The plight of Guyanese teachers”.
The Union Head yesterday added that this week will also see various activities, including a panel discussion and a day of prayer, which are slated for Thursday and Friday, respectively. Also, on the agenda for talks will be discussions on National Insurance Scheme claims, which will take place tomorrow.
The GTU’s industrial action commenced on February 5th and was initially slated to last for ten days, but actions by the government led to its continuation for over a month. Just before the commencement of the strike, GTU General Secretary Coretta McDonald had expressed frustration with the government’s handling of negotiations.
Before the commencement of the strike, as it began, and throughout its progression, it was deemed political and illegal by members of the government including the Ministry of Education (MoE), the Ministry of Labour (MoL), and Vice President (VP) Bharrat Jagdeo. However, these claims were thrown out the window when High Court Judge Sandil Kissoon deemed the strike legal, following a court battle between the Union and the government.
The government has since taken the matter to the Court of Appeal to have Justice Kissoon’s ruling overthrown. Since the court ruling, the Union and the Ministry of Education (MoE) met with the Ministry of Labour (MoL) for conciliation talks.
The three-day meeting, which ended in a stalemate, was arranged by Chief Labour Officer Dhaneshwar Deonarine after the MoE appealed to the MoL just before the recommencement of the GTU’s industrial action on May 13.
