The Guyana Teachers’ Union on Wednesday notified the Ministry of Education that the ongoing nationwide strike will continue “indefinitely” because of the ministry’s unresponsiveness in addressing the issues raised by the teachers.
The GTU asserted that the teachers will remain steadfast in their action until a “meaningful” meeting between the Ministries of Education and Labour and the GTU is held to address these issues. The ongoing strike, which began on February 5th, 2024 is aimed at addressing various issues that educators around the country have been dealing with for years.
In its formal notice, the GTU cited various reasons for the strike’s continuation, including the government’s inability to address the Union’s Multi-Year Agreement and the way compensation hikes were executed without proper talks and the exclusion of non-salary benefits. The failure of the Chief Labour Officer to intervene, as well as the identified difficulties that will have an impact on the stability of the education system, were also underscored.
The GTU urged the government and its agencies to follow the collective bargaining procedure outlined in the Guyana Labour Act, as well as to demonstrate respect for the country’s working class and the labour laws that govern how they are treated. The GTU reaffirmed their commitment to maintaining a positive relationship with the Ministry of Labour and the current administration to avoid a recurrence of this situation, which has both educational and social consequences.