The Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU) has condemned the government’s approach to dealing with the payment and conditions of sweepers and cleaners in public schools as uncaring and unkind.
According to a GPSU press release on Tuesday, the conditions of this group of workers has continued to deteriorate under the current administration, and at a meeting last Friday, they were informed by their Head Teachers that their work hours will be reduced to six hours daily, although they are often required more than eight hours to complete their duties, and that they will be only paid for two weeks in July and one week in August.
The sweepers/cleaners are those people employed by the Ministry of Education to maintain a clean and healthy environment in the public schools, according to the GPSU media statement. The GPSU who have represented these workers as far back as 2003, have sought to have them regularized and that their salaries be kept with the minimum wage of the Public Service.
