The Ministry of Education (MoE) is currently engaging the Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU) in looking at some proposals put forward by the public servants’ representative on behalf of sweeper/cleaners within public schools.
GPSU first Vice President, Mortimer Livan, told Guyana Times on Monday that following the protests of the sweeper cleaners, the GPSU was invited to a meeting with the Permanent Secretary of the Education Ministry, and was asked to put forward some proposals.
Livan said the Union did what was requested, and is now awaiting the response of the MoE, which he said should be forthcoming during the course of this week. Asked about the content of the proposal, the Vice President said he did not wish to share until the union meets again with the MoE. He said the body is hoping for an amicable outcome.
The GPSU had promised that the mounting protests would continue until someone listened to the cries of the women. The most recent protest was held last Tuesday, moments before the GPSU was invited to meet with the Education Ministry official.
Just about two weeks ago, sweeper cleaners from schools across the country protested in front of the Ministry of the Presidency in what would become the first of a number of demonstrations in front of government agencies. They said they were tired of the system that was treating them “inhumanely”. They had complained about poor working conditions and very low wages.
While the Ministry is currently engaging the GPSU, Finance Minister Winston Jordan had said that Cabinet was also discussing matters regarding the state of affairs of the sweeper-cleaners.
Sweeper cleaners during one of their protest actions
The Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU) had been calling for the implementation of some decisions made during a 2013 Cabinet meeting under the previous People’s Progressive Party (PPP) Administration. GPSU’s first Vice President, Mortimer Livan, said neither of the two Governments has implemented the decisions, which included that the wages of the sweeper/cleaners be set in accordance with the minimum wages order, and that payment be timely. He said the matter was brought up again with President David Granger, but even with his directives, nothing has been done.
Livan has said the conditions under which the cleaners work are unacceptable. He said the situation is developing further into an economic disaster for the workers and their families, as they are on many occasions the only source of income for their families.
