-flexibility seen over negotiation period
The Guyana Teachers’ Union (GTU) and the Ministry of Education (MoE) remain at odds over the resumption of teachers’ duties and salary negotiations. The industrial action, which has been ongoing since March, shows no sign of ending soon.
In a telephone interview with Stabroek News (SN), GTU President Mark Lyte reiterated the union’s stance that the government must agree to an interim payment across the board before negotiations can begin.
“[The] 20% interim payout is on the table. It’s left for the ministry or the government to say, ‘look we can’t give you 20%, but we can give you so much interim. And that’s what negotiations are meant to do; to have talks, you know… but we’re not getting that from the side of the ministry,” Lyte asserted.