Government in breach of terms of resumption -- GPSU
The Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU) is accusing the government of being in breach of the terms of resumption it signed stipulating, among other things, the payment of the public servants'award within 45 days of the tribunal's decision. That deadline expired on October 15 and a statement on Friday from the union called on the government to move beyond rhetoric and give effect to the commitment. The arbitration award will see public servants getting a 31.06 per cent increase in pay this year, and a further 26.67 per cent increase next year. Another tribunal awarded teachers 12 per cent for this year and this percentage has also been adopted by the government for the joint-services. The union also noted with concern President Bharrat Jagdeo's statement that supplementary provisions would have to be approved by parliament to effect the public service pay-out, yet no formal word had been communicated to the union for the delay, and no specific date had been given for the payment. Cabinet Secretary Dr Roger Luncheon, had announced that the pay-out would be made this month end. The union is also unhappy that its members at the National Agricultural Research Institute (NARI), the Mahaicony-Mahaica Abary Scheme, the Bureau of Statistics and the Guyana Forestry Commission have not yet received their interim pay-out of 25 per cent. Other violations of the memorandum of agreement signed as part of the terms of resumption to call off the 57-day public service strike included victimisation of its members at the Supreme Court, the union claimed. It alleged that because of Karen Van Sluytman's involvement in the strike, she had been transferred to the Land Court. And some of its members on strike at Suddie had been transferred to Anna Regina and had to commute daily "at considerable expense." "Article 3 of the agreement clearly prohibits such actions. It is specifically stated therein that: `There shall be no victimisation on either side eg. transfer, termination/dismissals, intimidation, retrenchment, demotions, etc.,'" the union stated. It said that it seemed that the government was indifferent to the needs of public servants and was resentful of the rule of law, and that in view of this, the GPSU was demanding that it honour in its entirety, the agreement signed four months ago.
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