New teachers’ strike looms with backing of united unions

The Guyana Teachers’ Union (GTU) yesterday signalled its intention to resume industrial action after government failed to meet an ultimatum to rescind its unilateral appointment of a chairman of the arbitration panel to rule on salary and non-salary benefits for teachers.

“Strike action is always a last resort and we thought having given the administration an ultimatum of seven days, that we would have had a favourable response. Instead, the Minister with responsibility for Labour (Keith Scott) would have issued appointment letters to the nominee from the Ministry of Education (MoE) and the chairperson in the form of Dr Leyland Lucas. We have rejected those proposals,” GTU President Mark Lyte told a news conference yesterday.

“In fact…we would be calling our members out for the second time to be engaged in strike action. Our members are ready and they are willing to continue the fight, to continue the struggle,” he added.