Teachers’ salary talks stall
Stabroek News
June 15, 2003
The talks between the Ministry of Education and the Guyana Teachers Union (GTU) on salary increases for teachers for 2002 are making no headway, says GTU General Secretary, Avril Crawford.
The sides met on Wednesday but Crawford told Stabroek News yesterday that apart from a one per cent increase mentioned at a previous meeting, no other figures had been forthcoming.
However, she said that a 1-1.5% additional increase on salaries for 2002 would be unacceptable. The two sides are due to meet tomorrow.
According to the terms of resumption ending the teachers’ strike in May, the ministry had committed itself to concluding the agreement to the 2002-2004 wage proposals, as submitted by the GTU, within four weeks. The deadline is up this week.
Asked if no agreement was reached on the increases in time what the union might do, Crawford said she did not care to jump ahead of a possible agreement.
Permanent Secretary in the Education Ministry, Hydar Ally had told Stabroek News that the ministry was exploring a $50M package for the higher categories of teachers in order to draw a line under 2002.
The GTU is seeking a 10% increase in salaries for last year.
Teachers have already been paid a 5% increase. GTU President, Sydney Murdock had told Stabroek News that the GTU was looking at a package that would be way over $100M.
