The Guyana Teachers’ Union (GTU) has filed an urgent Application in the High Court seeking an order to mandate the Government to engage in Collective Bargaining for the period 2019-2023. 

In the application, the GTU through its Attorney, Daren Wade, has asked the Court to order that the Chief Education Officer (CEO), Saddam Hussain and the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education, Shannielle Hoosein-Outar be held in contempt of Court for refusing to discuss Collective Bargaining for the period 2019-2023 in good faith. 

It also wants the Court to direct the Education Ministry to disclose all correspondences with the Union as it relates to the Collective Bargaining discussions.

Additionally, the GTU is seeking four other declarations, which include a declaration that the Union has a right to negotiation within the specified period, and that the refusal to negotiate for the period 2019-2023 constitutes a breach of the GTU and the right of its to Collective Bargaining under the Constitution. 

The GTU also wants the Court to declare that the minutes dated 7th March 2024 for the meeting between the GTU and the Education Ministry, created a binding agreement, and that the agreement arising from the minutes created a legitimate expectation.

In laying down the grounds for the orders and declarations being sought, the Union explained that following the Court ordered mediation process, the Chief Education Officer, who identified himself as the Chief Negotiator for the Education Ministry, agreed on the 7th March that the two sides would discuss salary increases for the period 2019-2023.

It was noted that at the following meeting on March 12, the Education Ministry reneged on that agreement, with the Permanent Secretary indicating that no such increases would be discussed. 

“Mr. Sadam Hussain, Chief Education Officer, and Mrs. Shannielle Hoosein-Outar, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education, under 5.06 of the Civil Procedure Rules, violated the court’s order and acted in bad faith by, refusing to engage in negotiations for the period of 2019-2023,” the Union told the Court in its application. 

The union is insisting that the agreement in the minutes of the March 7 meeting is binding, and ought to be respected. 

“The reneging of the agreement, to discuss collective bargaining from 2019-2023, is contemptuous. The reneging of the agreement, to discuss collective bargaining from 2019-2023, is in breach of article 147 of the Constitution of the Co-operative Republic of Guyana,” GTU argued. 

The matter is expected to come up in the Court soon. 

Related posts:

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