Teachers’ Union asks Court to order discussions on 2019 – 2023 pay hike

In an urgent Notice of Application to the High Court before Justice Sandil Kissoon on Friday, the Guyana Teachers’ Union (GTU) has asked for the Court to compel the government to engage in collective bargaining from 2019 to 2023.

The application comes three days after talks between the GTU and the Ministry of Education collapsed. Those talks restarted a week earlier following a Court ordered mediation process to end five weeks of strike action and street protests.

The GTU walked out of the engagement with Ministry of Education officials on Tuesday when the negotiating team was told that there was no fiscal space to cater for increases for the period 2019 -2024.

Instead, the Ministry of Education sought proposals for 2024.

Through its attorney Darren Wade, the GTU has also asked the Court to issue an order that Chief Education Officer Sadam Hussain, Chief Executive Officer and Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education Shannielle Hoosein-Outar, be held in contempt of court for engaging in the talks in “bad faith” and their “unwillingness” to discuss collective bargaining for the period 2019-2023.

The GTU maintains that it has a right to negotiation within the period of 2019-2023.

Already, Education Minister Priya Manickchand has said that while it was agreed that the 2019-2023 period will be discussed for possible salary increases, it was only to be a discussion and not for the ministry or the government to greenlight the union’s proposal.

Attorney General, Anil Nandlall also weighed in on the issue, saying that the time to discuss salary increases for 2019 – 2023 has passed and the new budgeting cycle allows for 2024 negotiations.

The union insists, however, and has asked for a declaration that the minutes dated March 07, 2024, created a binding agreement and created legitimate expectation.

The GTU, in its application on Friday, reminded of the mediation agreement of February 29 which ordered that all striking teachers, in good faith, resume work.

And following that, matters which either party considers relevant for discussions including financial matters, should be discussed.

The GTU believes and has so submitted to the Court that the mediation agreement has been breached by the Education Ministry.

On Thursday, Vice President Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo said the government will wait to see what the GTU will file and once that it done, it will allow the Court to decide on the way forward.