Labour ministry wants formal notification of impasse
Stabroek News
June 20, 2003
The Ministry of Labour is waiting on either the Guyana Teachers’ Union or the Ministry of Education to indicate that there is an impasse in wage talks for 2002 to 2004 before stepping in to conciliate.
On Wednesday the union rejected a three per cent across-the-board increase on salaries for 2003 and an additional increase on 2002 salaries of less than one per cent for teachers in the higher categories. It has threatened to resort to industrial action.
GTU President, Sydney Murdock yesterday evening told Stabroek News he would be writing the Minister of Labour, Dr Dale Bisnauth to indicate that there was indeed an impasse in the talks.
Bisnauth yesterday told Stabroek News that he had responded to Murdock’s letter in which he sought the ministry’s intervention while indicating that the discussions with the Ministry of Educa-tion “are heading for an impasse.”
Bisnauth said the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education, Hydar Ally had conceded that the talks “are in difficulties but an impasse has not been reached” although it was anticipated.
Bisnauth said that until an impasse was reached the Ministry of Labour “ought not to intervene.” He indicated this in his letter to Murdock yesterday.
“As soon as we are so informed we will arrange for meetings of conciliation under the chairmanship of the Ministry of Labour.” It was not enough to move to conciliation on the statement that “we are heading for an impasse.”
If the GTU indicated there was an impasse he would work towards arranging a meeting either on Monday or Tuesday.
Up to press time Murdock told Stabroek News that he had not received the minister’s response but based on the terms of resumption, the deadline for settling the wages issue was up yesterday afternoon.
Murdock was convinced that meeting at the bilateral level would serve no further purpose as the education ministry had said its offers were final.
Stabroek News was unable to contact Ally yesterday. (Miranda La Rose)
