GTU reaches agreement with Government to end strike by teachers

The Guyana Teachers’ Union has agreed to end its nationwide strike by teachers as the Government has agreed to meet with the union to restart negotiations on salary and other matters.

Representatives of the GTU and the Government ended their Court ordered mediation this afternoon after several hours of mediation talks. Just before 6pm, the two sides emerged and announced that an agreement had been reached.

Under the agreement, teachers will return to work on or before Wednesday 6th March 2024 and discussions between the two sides shall begin within 48hours of the resumption of work and shall be in relation to the matters which either of the two sides considers relevant for discussion and that includes financial matters.

The discussions are to be held at the Ministry of Education and will continue for a reasonable period of time.

GTU President Mark Lyte has welcomed the agreement, stating that the upcoming meeting will cover all of the issues at the collective bargaining level.

GTU Attorney, Darren Wade, said the signed agreement covers financial matters which would include the salary matters. He indicated that the burden has now been placed on the Government to ensure the matters that have been raised by the teachers in their multi-year agreement are fully addressed.

The State’s Attorney, Darshram Ramdanhi, said it is important for the teachers to return to the classroom in the interest of the nation’s children, adding that the dispute between the Government and the GTU will now take on a more conciliatory approach.

Meanwhile, the GTU’s case against the Government over its efforts to cut the salaries of those teachers who were on strike, will continue.

The strike by teachers started just over 4 weeks ago, with thousands of teachers from across the country staying away from their classrooms, forcing their students to stay home.

The strike action was called after the GTU said its efforts over the past three years to get the Government to meet and discuss salary issues, were ignored by the Government.