As public schools reopen on Monday for the August term, the Guyana Teachers’ Union (GTU) will not engage in any strike action but the body’s President, Mark Lyte said that industrial action isn’t off the table.
“… looming over us is the resumption of a full-fledged strike at a date to be announced to the membership.
“This second phase of the strike action will only be abated when the two sides agree on a salary package for the teachers of Guyana. The date for the resumption of the strike will be announced shortly,” the GTU President said during a Facebook live on Sunday afternoon.
Lyte explained that the resumption of the industrial action is the first of three suggestions proffered by the Union’s General Council during a recent engagement. The other options are to press the government for mutually agreed upon arbitration and to pursue litigation against the Ministry of Labour.
With the suggestions given, it is now up to the Union’s Executives to decide on the way forward. And for Lyte, teachers should be on standby for a possible return to strike action as soon as Tuesday.
Ahead of any of these actions, Lyte said the government can opt to engage the Union on its demands, though he doesn’t believe there will be any fruitful engagements.
The Union and the Ministry of Education have been at loggerheads for some time now, with teachers going on strike before the Easter break. So far, it has been noted that there will be no compromise on the part of the Union to discuss only salary increases for 2024. The Union insists that negotiations must surround retroactive pay hikes for the period 2019 – 2023.
The Ministry of Education, however, maintains that there is no fiscal space to cater for increases for the period 2019 -2023. Only increases for 2024, the Education Ministry said, can be discussed.
Outside of these unfolding processes, there is also legal action before the court.
The High Court will Wednesday hear oral arguments about the government’s right to cut striking teachers’ salaries and cease the automatic dedication and transferral of Union dues. Until a decision is handed down, the government cannot pursue either action.
Let these cannibals ( Lyte his brodas and sistas) go on strike no big deal. it gives us enough time to establish the online classes and bottom house lessons come the new school year the kids will stay home and do school work instead of having to face the cannibals ( McDonald the horse face and her tribe).Our kids will be safe and will learn at a faster rate and better educated Hooray .Let these cannibals go on the bread line .More private schools will be open we will use the bottom houses until the private schools are ready .Send the cannibals to Haiti .