GPSU calls on Govt to resume talks for 2016 pay hike

The Guyana Government has been formally notified of the Guyana Public Service Union’s (GPSU) rejection of its one to 10 per cent differential approach to increases for public servants and the Union.

GPSU has also formally invited the Government through its negotiating team to resume negotiations “within the spirit of what is just, consistent with its 2015 manifesto commitment and with due respect for the Union’s representation in pursuit of a living wage being paid as the basic pay for an employee of the Guyana public service.”

The GPSU, in releasing its missive to Government, said, “it is the intention of the Union to ensure that its members continue to be well-informed regarding the progress of the negotiations through the media and by way of other channels of communication available to the Union.

It is the firm intention of the GPSU to continue to take the negotiations in a direction that results in an outcome that allows for public servants to attain the goal of a living wage and adequate related allowances and conditions of service,” the Union stated.

Government Chief negotiator, Reginald Brotherson, the Permanent Secretary, of the Ministry of the Presidency, was written to by GPSU’s acting General Secretary, Kempton Alexander, with the missive copied to President David Granger, Minister of State Joseph Harmon and Finance Minister Winston Jordan.

GPSU in its letter to Government said the Union “hereby informs you that at its General Council Meeting held on September 2, 2016, a unanimous decision was taken to reject the offer of 10 per cent – one per cent differentiated approach proposed by the Government of Guyana.”

The GPSU has since called on Government to resume negotiations.

GPSU President Patrick Yarde had over the weekend cautioned Government to return to the bargaining table, saying it should be guided by history, including the infamous 1999 public servants strike which lasted for 57 days and had to be resolved through arbitration.

Yarde during the recent meeting of the GPSU’s General Council Meeting had cause to point out that more than $6.8 billion was set aside in the 2016 Budget to cater for salary increases for public servants – none of which was spent.

He had also accused Government of horse-trading over its publicly stated position that it will go ahead and make an arbitrary award in face of the Union’s refusal of the differentiated 10 per cent to one per cent salary increases for public servants.

Yarde has since also sought to remind the parties that form the coalition Government, that it had campaigned on a promise to pay public servants decent wages/salaries.

“Rather than address workers’ wages/salaries and conditions of work, the Government instead opted to increase its own salaries by as much as 50 per cent,” Yarde said.

Yarde, in his public missive over the weekend, said the outcome of any negotiation that is considered just, is one where the results are agreed upon by the parties involved.

He said the GPSU rejected the wage/salary offer and for the Government to state that the position put forward to the Union is final; and it will go ahead and implement it even if the Union has not accepted same, is a breach of trust and can be described as evidence of bad faith negotiations.