Teachers threatening to strike if gov’t continues ‘disrespect’ over wage talks

Minister of State Joseph Harmon has said that negotiations with the Guyana Teachers Union (GTU) for a new multi-year pay agreement will take just a little longer than the nearly two years it has already taken. Meanwhile, the GTU has said that if government persists with its “disrespect” it is prepared to call its teachers out of the classroom.

Harmon acknowledged that multi-year agreements are a good approach to take on salary and wages so that they don’t have to be revisited every year. Harmon speaking at a post cabinet press briefing on Thursday told reporters that there are several issues that will have to be streamlined under the new agreement.

His statement came hours after the GTU told reporters that they had not been consulted about any increase for 2017.

In fact, according to the union they feel