Berbice teachers join GTU strike
Berbice teachers yesterday took to the streets throughout the region in support of the GTU strike calling for the Ministry of Education to head back to the bargaining table with the union to work out an option for increased salaries for educators.
Teachers from the Canje – Bohemia and New Amsterdam districts yesterday held a demonstration outside of the region’s education department located in New Amsterdam. Corentyne teachers held a demonstration in Rose Hall Town.
According to information gathered, from 205 teachers within the Canje district, 153 supported the strike signaling a 74.6% turnout. Stabroek News was told that 25.4% or 52 teachers from the area turned out to work.
Of 536 teachers in the New Amsterdam district, 345 supported the strike which is 64.4%. In that district 191 turned out to work.
One of the key demands by the Guyana Teachers Union (GTU) is for the government to engage it in free collective bargaining for the full range of benefits that should be available to educators.
Tamesh Mohabir, attached to the New Amsterdam Multilateral Secondary School, told Stabroek News that he decided to support the union and his colleagues because “we feel there is a need for us to return to collective bargaining whereby both sides put their proposal on the table and then they negotiate to come up with something tangible for the teachers.”
Mohabir said that while there are “quite a few things being done for the betterment of the education sector a lot more needs to be done especially in the areas of salary increases and so on.”
From a teacher’s perspective, he said that some of the immediate needs of teachers in addition to a salary increase is a “dire need” for allowances.
“Especially like transportation allowances because for many teachers we don’t have our vehicles and a significant portion of our salary goes towards transportation, if we could have certain allowances, transportation allowances, maybe meal allowance those sort of things to help
Teachers in front of the education department in New Amsterdam yesterday. us make our life easy”, he for “what is called a bread union and the ministry met said. and butter situation.” last week, Dhanraj said,
Mohabir stressed that he Stressing that the strike “We are meeting to negotiate was hopeful that the strike action has nothing to do non-salary benefits and action would push the with politics, Dhanraj said, as educators, we cannot Ministry of Education to “This is a simple situation take non-salary benefits to place more interest in where we are demanding the market.” returning to the drawing more.” He said that often as board and “follow the laws He said, “As you know soon as there is an increase of trade union and collective police would have in public servants’ salary bargaining and sort out received, nurses would there is always a “rise in all the issues that we are have received but basically the market.” here contesting today.” a 6.5 (percent) was given Furthermore, Dhanraj to teachers, a 6.5 was said that educators are also imposed on teachers, in looking for an increase in 2021 we had a 7%, 2022 their clothing allowance we had an 8%, and in 2023 which is currently at we got a 6.5%, in the $8,000 per year. “Let us fastest growing economy have a substantial clothing of the world, the Dubai of allowance because $8,000 the Caribbean you are cannot purchase nothing telling me educators that properly for a teacher and make every other profession it’s for the entire year.” possible, even the Another Berbice educator, president, even the minister, Seon Bristol, said that we have to be out here he decided to take part in demanding what is rightfully yesterday’s strike action ours.” and protest as teachers are
Pointing out that the in desperate need of a pay
Chants
With chants calling on the Ministry of Education to pledge a 50% increase and “we want oil money” the teachers in New Amsterdam yesterday braved drizzles to let their voices be heard.
GTU representative and teacher attached to the Sheet Anchor Primary School, Andrew Dhanraj said that they are fighting increase. “Most of the issues they are dealing with is non salary and soon as there is a raise in salary there is a raise in commercial goods in the market so there is nothing much you can see with your salary so this is why we are out in the streets.”
Stressing the importance of teachers, Bristol said, that teachers “need to be satisfied.”
Teachers on the protest line yesterday pledged that if their demands are not met then they will continue to strike throughout the week.
Meanwhile, efforts to ascertain from the regional administration what systems were put in place to manage classrooms yesterday proved futile as the officials all remained silent on the matter.