Strike called off: Education Ministry, Teachers Union agree to arbitration
[youtube url=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L0tJpBQ-BDI” width=”100%” height=”315″]
─ parties agreed at conciliation talks held today
─ teachers expected back in classrooms from as early as tomorrow
─ Terms of Resumption agreed to by the two bodies states that the union will ensure that there is full recommencement of work at all schools on Monday, September 10
─ Terms of Resumption also states that there will be no victimization on either side, no loss of pay or seniority and that the status quo ante [the state of affairs that existed previously] will prevail
DPI, Guyana, Thursday, September 6, 2018
The strike action by the Guyana Teachers Union (GTU) has been called off with immediate effect following conciliatory talks with the Education Ministry today.
The two sides met at the Ministry of Social Protection’s Department of Labour where they signed a Terms of Resumption.
The industrial action by the GTU has been ongoing over the last three days.
Speaking to the media moments after the meeting, GTU’s President Mark Lyte said some teachers could be expected back in the classroom from as early as tomorrow.
“Immediately we have signed on to Terms of Resumption, that the Union will be calling the strike off with immediate effect. On Monday all teachers will be returning to work but those who can will return tomorrow.”
The Terms of Resumption agreed to by the two bodies states that the Union will ensure that there is full recommencement of work at all schools on Monday, September 10.
24 hours after the full resumption of duties by teachers the GTU and the Ministry will meet to determine the Terms of Reference (ToRs) for the arbitration panel as guidance to the Memorandum of Understanding between the GTU and Education Ministry.
The Terms of Resumption also states that there will be no victimization on either side, there will be no loss of pay or seniority and that the status quo ante [the state of affairs that existed previously] will prevail.
The Guyana Teachers Union had proposed a 40 percent increase in salary for 2016, forty-five percent in 2017, fifty per cent in 2018, fifty per cent in 2019 and fifty per cent in 2020 be granted to all categories of teachers/educators for the years 2016 through 2020.
However, the Education Ministry’s counterproposal had made available $700M to facilitate an increase in salaries for all teachers based on the current salary scale and the previously proposed $200M for debunching for 2018.
Unlike conciliation, where the parties in a dispute are brought together with an independent third party (facilitator) to settle the matter through negotiations; arbitration involves an independent third-party hearing the evidence brought by both sides and making a final decision.
Alexis Rodney
Images: Jules Gibson