Public school teachers will strike again from Monday to press the government for higher salary increases for 2002.
This action according to Guyana Teachers Union (GTU) Executive Member, Lance Baptiste is because the union has gotten no positive response from either the Ministry of Education or the Ministry of Labour on the way forward for teachers.
Following a prolonged stalemate between the GTU and the Education Ministry, the Ministry of Labour had appointed an advisory body to listen to the cases of the two sides and to compile a report. That report with recommendations was submitted to Prime Minister Sam Hinds last week as Minister of Labour Dale Bisnauth was out of the country. The GTU had set yesterday as the deadline for some response from the Labour Ministry on the advisory committee's findings but got no positive feedback from the Labour Ministry.
According to Baptiste, the decision to take strike action was decided on by members after the May Day march and rally yesterday.
Prior to the Easter vacation, teachers has struck for 19 days in the quest for higher 2002 wages and before that they skipped school two days per week to pressure the government.
The government has steadfastly said that negotiations for 2002 have ended and it is prepared to start talks on 2003.
Teachers are demanding a 15% across-the-board pay hike for all categories for last year. The strike, Baptiste said, will continue until the GTU hears positively from the Ministry of Education or the Ministry of Labour.