The Ministry of Education (MoE) and the Guyana Teachers’ Union (GTU) today signed a wages and benefits deal for 2024 to 2026.
The deal comes after 75 days of strikes by teachers in two distinct segments, court action, court-ordered mediation, conciliation and several rounds of negotiations.
President Irfaan Ali today said in a Facebook broadcast that the increase will be 10% for 2024, eight percent for 2025 and nine percent for 2026.
The GTU today issued the following release:
Agreement Between GTU and MoE
The Guyana Teachers’ Union and the Ministry of Education have reached an agreement on salaries and non-salaries benefits for teachers covering the period 2024-2026. This agreement comes after months of talks between the two sides.
The executives of GTU were instructed by the General Council at a meeting held on Friday, August 9, 2024 by a majority vote to accept the salary and non-salary package offered by MoE. This General Council instruction is binding according to Rule 13 of the Guyana Teachers’ Union Constitution.
The package includes salary increases and a range of non-salary enhancements such as allowances, duty-free concessions, housing, revolving fund, scholarships, clothing allowance, health coverage, hinterland and riverain benefits, opening up of new positions for teachers on the salary scale, and reemployment incentives among others. These benefits aim to provide additional support for teachers not only in their professional growth but also in their personal and family lives.
The GTU wishes to thank members for their resilience, support, and commitment throughout the process.
The General Council decision reflects the members’ wishes based on the instructions given to the executives.
As we move forward, the GTU remains committed to advocating for the needs of our members and assures its members and the general public that we will continue to press the employer for additional members’ benefits.
