Bynoe dismisses ‘trash talk’ over teachers wage deal

-bemoans lack of support from labour movement

Guyana Teachers Union (GTU) President Colin Bynoe has labelled criticisms of the union’s recent five-year labour deal with the government “trash talk,” saying the full agreement not only reflects intense negotiations but was achieved without any support from within the labour movement.

Referring to the labour movement as fractured and sinking in division, Bynoe said yesterday that he was disappointed at the comments flowing from within about the teacher’s pact, including statements attributed to its umbrella body, the Guyana Trades Union Congress (GTUC).

He questioned why some within the labour movement failed to offer critical support at the time the GTU was negotiating with government, while adding that many who are now criticising are not fully briefed on the entire package.

Colin Bynoe

Bynoe said people are questioning his leadership and are making remarks about “sell outing out for pieces of silver” and “weaknesses within the union,” when they have no idea what the proposal to the government was and/or the problems GTU faced during the negotiations.

The GTU President pointed to negotiations between the government and the Guyana Agricultural Workers Union (GAWU) and the three percent which was awarded to workers through arbitration. “If GAWU could get three percent, people need to take their hats off to us for getting five,” Bynoe asserted.

A label of being government affiliated is now being put on the union, he said, but he stressed that they remain tied to the GTUC.  However, he charged that GTUC has been out of touch with its affiliates and has failed to offer the necessary support and advice during crucial periods.

Speaking on the new pact, he said many of the benefits have been publicized, including the much-discussed five percent pay hike. He noted that teachers who improve their qualifications and pursue a Certificate in Education would benefit from an increase of 33.3 percent on their salaries; varying increases apply to teachers who attain either a Diploma or Masters in Education.

Uniform allowances went up significantly, Bynoe also said, adding that people are judging the agreement based on a few details. He argued that the union bargained in the context of what has been happening with working conditions globally, particularly in Europe and in the region, while noting that the record would show things are not that favourable in other parts.
“When I consider what is happening all over the world, we have to be lucky for what we got… so many people are thrashing up what we got but are they aware of what our proposal to the government was?” Bynoe asked.

He had dubbed the new five-year agreement a “giant step” largely because of the non-salary benefits, and not the annual five percent pay hike that teachers will receive.

According to Bynoe, union leaders in the country need to elevate their level of reasoning and shy away from the usual “cuss-outs” when they engage government and differences arise. “The time has come for us to be a united body, to work towards encouraging and supporting each other so the workers of this country could benefit,” he added.

‘May Day
trade unionist’

Statements from columnist and commentator Christopher Ram and GPSU President Patrick Yarde were dismissed by Bynoe, who said people are just talking because they feel like. He was particularly critical of Yarde, who he described as a “May-Day trade unionist” who surfaces to represent workers on that day and remains silent throughout the year.

Yarde recently issued a statement saying that the Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU) is “seriously concerned” about the “mediocrity” displayed by some union leaders with agreements which they enter into that compromise and add to the difficulty of trade unionism nationally. He said too that one such agreement was recently published in the newspapers—an apparent reference to the just inked GTU pact.

Bynoe said the record would show the struggle of the GTU on the issue of former Chief Education Officer Genevieve Whyte-Nedd despite the fact that she was not a member of the union. Whyte-Nedd, he noted, was attached to the GPSU.

Bynoe also mentioned Ram, saying the columnist called him “after the fact” and was unaware of the details of the new agreement though he published an article on the issue. “I want you to publish this because it is unprofessional and this is what we are working with… what we need in this country is less talking and more support being rendered,” Bynoe said.

‘Five percent
can’t wuk’

Still, the new agreement has also been criticised by teachers, with some calling it “unfair.” Teachers who marched on May 1 with the union also used the opportunity to air their concerns and chanted, “5% can’t wuk,” as they marched along the streets.

Reacting to this, Bynoe said that many teachers are not fully aware of what is in the new deal. He added that many of them later apologised to him personally after hearing his May 1 address.

Speaking with Stabroek News on the condition of anonymity, one teacher labeled the new agreement “unsatisfactory and nothing to get excited about.” He said the newspapers headlines read well after the package was announced, but upon a closer examination he felt it was a disappointing five-year deal.

“I’m not happy at all because this new agreement, particularly the five percent pay hike, does not reflect the economic realities in this country,” the teacher said. He noted that for some teachers the deal offers nothing.

The non-salary benefits which the union hailed will trickle down to some teachers, he said, but he questioned the bargaining power of the union, saying that while it might look good to them on paper, for teachers “the glass remains half-full.”

“This is not an agreement, it is a sell-out,” another teacher told this newspaper, saying that she was expecting the union to demand more than a five percent increase. For her, the access to a loan and a house lot means something, but not if the salary is not enough to build a house and or repay an interest rate beyond her means.

Further, another teacher said she is likely to migrate in another year for a Caribbean island. She said that even after seeking higher qualifications, the salary scale of teachers is not favourable. In fact, she has a Degree in International Relations which is not recognised in the system.  She called the new pact “a giant step backward.”