Deadlocked with the Ministry of Education over 2002 salaries after almost one year of negotiations, the Guyana Teachers’ Union (GTU) has again applied for arbitration to resolve the dispute.

Both sides reached an impasse on Monday when the ministry refused to pay a proposed 5% increase, plus $15M, retroactive to January 1, 2002.

A GTU official told Stabroek News that at a meeting with the union and the Ministry last Friday, Chief Labour Officer Mohammed Akeel had proposed the increase to break the deadlock.

When the two sides met again on Monday the ministry instead indicated to the union that it might accept the proposal once the issue of 2002 was closed and the increases be made retroactive to January 1 of this year.

Prior to this the ministry’s last official offer was a 4.8% increase, inclusive of the $15M, which was part of the $65M awarded to the lowest paid teachers last year to bring them up to minimum wage. The sum was calculated based on December 2001 salaries.

The official said Akeel suggested that they accept the payment of the increase and go to arbitration to decide from how far back

the increases should be paid.

On Wednesday the union formally wrote to the Ministry of Labour requesting the parties move to arbitration.

An official in the Ministry of Labour told Stabroek News that the GTU’s application had been received and action had been taken on it.

When contacted yesterday, Ganga Persaud, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education, said he had only received the union’s official request for arbitration from the Labour Ministry yesterday and was therefore unable to comment on the issue.

This latest development also means that wage talks for 2003-2004 are likely to be stalled because of the protracted negotiations.

“We are hoping to close 2002-2003 and commence 2003-2004 as early as possible,” the union official said.

“But recognise that without a final minimum wage it’s hard to start with that. And instead of preparing for 2004 we have to think about arbitration.” (Andre Haynes)