Breaking its week-long silence on the government’s announced imposition of wage hikes for public servants, the Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU) yesterday said it was “betrayed” by the David Granger-led administration and union president Patrick Yarde declared that only “significantly stepped up militancy” will change the workers’ destiny of “peppercorn salaries” and “unacceptable conditions of service”.
Speaking at a press conference held at the GPSU’s headquarters in Georgetown, Yarde blasted the APNU+AFC administration for delivering “more of the same” to public servants, including a disregard for the collective bargaining process, but he would not commit its members to any form of industrial action.
“The entrenched official disregard for the principle of collective bargaining remains a reality and the take it or leave it underpinning that has customarily informed wages and salaries negotiations remains in vogue,” Yarde said.
