GTU and Education Ministry at loggerhead over teacher’s strike action and salaries

The Union has said that it has no faith in the Labour Department serving as the mediator for conciliation talks, since the same Labour Department was involved in previous negotiations with the two sides and was pushing the government’s cause. 

GTU and Education Ministry at loggerhead over teacher’s strike action and salaries

The Guyana Teachers Union and the Ministry of Education have found themselves at an impasse with both sides sticking to their positions when it comes to the current strike by teachers and salary negotiations.

Schools will reopen their doors on Monday.

The Teacher’s Union is insisting that it will only call off the strike when the Education Ministry agrees to move the process forward to arbitration.

But the Education Ministry wants the conciliation process to continue.

The Union has said that it has no faith in the Labour Department serving as the mediator for conciliation talks, since the same Labour Department was involved in previous negotiations with the two sides and was pushing the government’s cause.

In a statement last evening, the Education Ministry said the strike should be called off since the process is already at conciliation and that avenue should be exhausted.

The Ministry wants both sides to agree to terms of resumption and for the conciliation process to continue.

The two sides met again yesterday, both holding strong to their positions.

The GTU says the strike will continue and it is hoping that the government through the Ministry of Education either agrees to arbitration or make a new offer to teachers that is acceptable.

The issue of the teachers strike came up for discussion yesterday during a meeting between President David Granger and Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo.

Mr. Jagdeo said he believes the government could find the money to pay teachers an acceptable salary increase.

 

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