The Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU) says it views the government’s recent unilateral salary imposition of 6.5% for Public Sectors Workers as insensitive, uncaring, and a blatant disregard for the collective bargaining process.
The union cautioned the government about its policy which it says can imperil the desired unity in the face of existential threats from Venezuela.
While it reaffirmed its unwavering public commitment to stand in unity with the nation, the GPSU says the widely held view is that Guyana’s rapid acceleration in GDP growth and associated increases in revenue should have resulted in meaningful benefits for workers, hence, a meagre 6.5% salary imposition is insulting and warrants a sharp rebuke.
The GPSU also highlighted what it called the ‘significant disparity’ in government’s distribution of the country’s wealth as evident in its management of the oil revenues. “It was widely reported,” the GSPU said, “that 209 billion GYD was withdrawn from the Natural Resource Fund as of Nov 30th, 2023. By contrast, the 6.5% across the board increases for 2023 amounted to 7.9 billion GYD) or a mere 3.78% of what was withdrawn.” The union included a matrix demonstrating the country’s GDP growth from 2020 to 2023 to justify its argument:
The union further admonished the government saying that its violation of collective bargaining with recognized unions and the unevenness in their distribution of resources are seriously undermining efforts to galvanize the country against the existential threats posed by Venezuela. “These prejudicial actions destroy any attempt at the illusive national unity we seek”, noted the union.
At a time when prices are intolerable, the union said that the average worker received a paltry $25,000 one-off payment with a $4,875 increase on the minimum wage while retrenched sugar workers received a $250,000 cash grant after acquiring their severance in December 2021. “The average worker,” the union says, “sees this as blatant disrespect and discrimination which cannot be appeased with photo opportunities, glowing unity statements, and mere superficial gestures of solidarity.”
The union says government must change its posture towards tens of thousands of public servants who are currently denied their legal rights to be represented by their recognized trade unions as part of their attempts at national unity particularly when trying to portray Guyana as a law-abiding nation to the international community.
“At this rate,” the statement read, “the country will continue to face crippling brain drain in professional and highly technical fields such as health and aviation in search for better wages and respect on foreign shores.” The GPSU says it has and continues to be responsible in its dealings with the government and says its restraint provides ample opportunity for the government to correct “its executive lawlessness and abuse at a time when they should be displaying inclusiveness and sensitivity for the plight of the working class.”
