Public servants wage talks on hold
-GPSU wants 2002 resolved
Stabroek News
February 16, 2003
Before any new wages talks can start for 2003 and beyond, the Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU) says it is awaiting a response from the Trade Union Recognition Board (TURB) on concerns with respect to the 2002 increases.
Union President Patrick Yarde when contacted on Friday said the GPSU had written the board with respect to government's failure to follow the law and proceed to arbitration on wages for 2002.
The board whose secretary is Chief Labour Officer Mohamed Akeel, has reportedly indicated that the body had yet to meet for the year resulting in several outstanding issues being stalled.
Contacted yesterday, Akeel confirmed that the board had not met while indicating its intention to do so shortly.
Meanwhile government said it was continuing to await the union's response to its invitation to commence wages talks for 2003 and beyond in a timely manner.
Permanent Secretary, Public Service Ministry (PSM), Dr Nanda Gopaul, confirmed that his ministry was ready and had written to the union.
Yarde told Stabroek News that it was the same law the management of the Georgetown Public Hospital was seeking to have them follow that they were asking TURB to have government adhere to.
The law relating to the avoidance of settlements and respect for procedures compels parties under the Trade Union Recognition Act to respect certain guidelines in handling industrial relations issues.
He said under a clause of the act a fine is charged against any agency found to be failing to comply with the provisions.
He was adamant that government should be made to follow the law or run the risk of having the union resort to industrial action to achieve its goals. Discussions on this and other possibilities, Yarde said, have begun and members are said to have expressed their approval of the union's stance while being disposed to struggling for their rights.
"What is the sense going ahead... if they [government] will impose at the end if no agreement is reached?" Yarde asked.
He said the union was not prepared to discuss a wage agreement for 2003, since it would only give the impression that they were willing to proceed on a false premise, particularly since there was no agreed base upon which a new wage rate could be structured.
The GPSU rejected the five per cent increase imposed by government last year after the sides agreed to proceed to arbitration, but reached a deadlock on the terms of reference. The government says it wants to start talks early to avoid a repetition of the situation in the previous two years and has proposed a multi-year package.
