In the absence of its President, Mark Lyte, the Guyana Teachers’ Union (GTU) today officially rejected the Government’s offer of a 10% across the board salary increase for teachers for 2024.
The Government, through the Ministry of Education, had also proposed an 8% increase for 2025, and a 9% increase for 2026 as part of a multi-year package for teachers. However, the union has rejected all of the proposals following consultations with its membership.
At today’s meeting, First Vice President of the Guyana Teachers’ Union (GTU), Marika Williams led the Union’s negotiating team, in the absence of Lyte, who, according to Union officials, has proceeded on leave to attend to family matters.
Williams told News Source that the Education Ministry was informed that the Union is not prepared to accept its 10% offer.
“The last time we were here, the percentage was 9%, when we were here, 9% and a few down. This time we are here, another percentage, a little up, but the Union maintains its position. We have not accepted that, and there are still a few things we have to iron out in our proposal, and so, this is where we are,” Williams said.
Following last Thursday’s negotiation, the Union, through its President Mark Lyte, was reportedly informed by the Government that its final counter-proposal would be a 10% salary increase for 2024, along with an 8% increase for next year and a 9% increase for 2026 as part of a multi-year package.
The Union’s General Council met on Friday and there was some division on whether or not the 10% increase should be accepted, forcing the union to consult with the wider membership.
Just after the meeting, the GTU President reportedly told the rest of the Executive that he would be willing to recuse himself from further negotiations.
The GTU’s First Vice President told News Source that she will lead the negotiations until further notice.
Meanwhile, the General Secretary of the GTU, Coretta McDonald said the Union has asked the Education Ministry to reconsider its final proposal, even as it continues to consult with teachers across the country on an acceptable increase.
“Our mandate given by our teacher is that they want to have a livable wage, and when they calculate livable wage, when they talk about livable wage, they are talking about dollars. And so, percentage doesn’t really come down them in dollars. If we talk about 15, 16,18 percent, the teachers want to know what that is in dollars, and so, the percentage sometimes, when you hear the percentage, it might sound good but teachers, want to know, give me the calculations. And so, teachers are saying, we need to have a livable wage. For them, a livable wage is one that could make them feel comfortable at the end of the month, and stop living from month to month,” the General Secretary explained.
She said the Union remains in consultation with its members.
In an earlier interview with News Source, McDonald said teachers have long indicated that its Executives should accept no less than a 25% salary increase.
It was explained that the teachers took into consideration the fact that the union had already shelved the 2019-2023 proposal.
Since the restart of negotiations in July, the Education Ministry has put forward a number of proposed increases ranging from 7% to 10%. The Union has been pressing for an increase of over 30%. The two sides are to agree to a date for their next meeting. (Svetlana Marshall)
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