The Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU) has issued an ultimatum to the Government to meet at the bargaining table to begin negotiations on salary increases for public servants or face industrial action.

 In a release today, the Union highlighted the Government’s refusal to engage with the union on salary and non salary issues since it came to office more than three years ago. The GPSU maintains that the Government has been breaching its obligations under the law.

The union has also indicated that there have been other breaches of the Constitution and Laws of Guyana, as well as International Labour Conventions that are in force and the ILO Declaration of Fundamental Rights and Principles of Workers and the legally binding Collective Labour Agreement between the Government of Guyana and GPSU.

The issues affecting workers in the Public Service, and governments’ reluctance to meet at the bargaining table, or conciliate to break the deadlock that has arisen, were discussed extensively by the GPSU executives, and its membership, the union said.

It noted that it will continue to engage its members on the matter over the coming days through a committee which has been established to ensure that the GPSU is mobilized, and all grievance procedures under the existing agreement are followed.

The union recently raised its voice in criticism of the Government and its imposition of a 6.5% salary increase for public servants.

The Union wants the government to return to collective bargaining, but said the government must first stop treating unions as if some are for government and others are for opposition, and negotiate on behalf of the people. 

Since taking office in 2020, the Government has not engaged with the union on salary and other issues.

The GPSU has accused the government of putting foreign investors before its own workers.

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