GTU rejects Govt’s proposed 7% salary increase for teachers for 2024

– teachers urged to be patient as negotiation continues

The Guyana Teachers Union (GTU) has outrightly rejected the Government’s 7 per cent proposed across-the-board increase for 2024 and 6 per cent increase for 2025 and 2026.
This proposal was made on Friday when the GTU and the Education Ministry met for a second time to discuss the union’s proposed 39.6 per cent increase for 2024 and 30 per cent increase for 2025 and 2026.
In a video message seen by the Guyana Times on Monday, the President of the GTU, Mark Lyte dispelled claims that the body has agreed to the counter-proposal made by the government, noting that GTU has since requested that the Ministry revise said proposal.
“There are several areas that further talk has to take place, including the percentages that the government is likely to put forward or has put forward. As you have seen in the public domain, the Union has clearly said we have not accepted nor will we accept. If that is the position of the government to offer those percentages, we will not accept,” Lyte stated.

Nevertheless, Lyte stated that apart from the salary negotiations, the two parties have made progress in other areas of talks.
He, however, assured teachers that the union would push for a higher salary increase and implored them to remain patient as both parties continue to negotiate in good faith.
“When this Union, the Guyana Teachers Union give an undertaking in a room or to our members that we will carry out a particular position or take a particular position or carry out a particular mandate we are going to stick with it. And so, I would like to appeal to our members to say to you all do not allow yourself to get worked up. Do not get worked up to raise your anxiety level over issues that are non-issues. And I want everyone to be at ease and to know that your Union is working on your behalf to ensure that the package signed with the Ministry of Education benefits not only teachers who are active in the system, but it benefits those persons who are retired,” Lyte stated.
Bilateral talks between the ministry and the union on the new 2024-2026 multi-year agreement commenced on July 11 after months of prolonged industrial action by teachers.
Earlier in the month, the GTU conceded to the government’s proposal that salary increases for teachers should be determined under a new agreement from the current year onward.
The GTU had been pushing for a backdated collective bargaining agreement. But the government, through the Education Ministry has maintained that it is fully prepared to work on a multi-year agreement from 2024 and not 2019 as being initially demanded by the union. The GTU subsequently recanted and agreed to negotiate from 2022 onwards – a proposal that was also rejected by the government.
The Union has also proposed a performance-based incentive of two per cent per annum to be paid to eligible teachers during the period of the multi-year agreement, with effect from January 1, 2024.
This is in addition to an annual health/risk allowance of $25,000, and a monthly internet/mobile data allowance of $10,000 to be paid to all teachers.
Moreover, the body is seeking a termly school transportation grant of $150,000 in the case of those operating on the coastland and $300,000 for hinterland/riverain schools or alternately a mode of transport (boat, ATV etc.) to offset the cost of teachers travelling to attend meetings, workshops, orientation sessions, or emergencies at school.