GUYANA Teachers' Union (GTU) yesterday expressed disappointment at the failure of the Ministry of Education to agree to its "modest" wage hike demand for teachers, saying the resort to arbitration underscored the difficulty it has had negotiating with the ministry in good faith.
"No, we were not shocked; nor were we surprised," GTU President Sydney Murdock said in response to a reporter's question. "But we were very disappointed because we thought that better sense would have prevailed after negotiating with the Education Ministry in good faith."
At issue is the ministry's offer of a 4.8 percent increase in salaries for teachers, plus $15 million - left over from a $65 million pay hike package allocated last year - retroactive to January 1st this year, as against the GTU's call for a 5 percent incomes increase plus the $15 million and payable from January 1st 2002.
GTU is saying that the ministry's acceding to its demand would conclude payment claims by the union for 2002 and make way for fresh negotiations between the two sides for a 2003 package.
"Our demand is designed to bring teachers' pay up to the 2002 minimum wage level," Mr. Murdock said.
He commended the Government for investing hundreds of millions of dollars in the education sector each year, but said lofty school buildings would be nothing without teachers.
Mr. Murdock, First Vice President Philip Roberts and Immediate Past President Lancelot Baptiste spoke with reporters at a news conference in GTU's Bertram Hamilton Auditorium.
They said they expect a three-member arbitration panel set up to consider the issue to give judgment in GTU's favour, with its demand being the least that can be awarded.
GTU formally wrote the Minister of Labour Wednesday calling for arbitration after it said the Ministry of Education said 'no' to its demand for a 5 percent increase to be paid out retroactive to January 2002.
"We felt we were being reasonable," said Mr. Baptiste, "because our demands took into account the economic situation of the country at this point, the minimum expectations of the teachers we represent, and the need for providing our teachers with the kind of incentives that would encourage them to remain in the system and give of their best."
The union leaders pointed out that with teachers leaving at the rate of an average of 20 a month, and reports of some 12 tutors having left the Cyril Potter College of Education, the Ministry of Education needed to hastily agree to the demand of teachers in order to avert a crisis in the teaching profession.
Officials of the Education Ministry were not available for comment.
The GTU top brass also dealt with school hours and school sanitation.
They said the union would ensure that teachers worked their full five hours five school days each week and expected the ministry to fulfill its obligation to provide schools with "properly constructed washrooms of a pattern approved by the Ministry of Health."