GPSU writes Public Service Ministry to commence salary talks for 2022

The Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU) says it has already written the Ministry of Public Service seeking an engagement to commence discussions for 2022 salary increases.

The information was relayed by Vice President of the Union, Dawn Gardener when contacted by Stabroek News.

“We wrote to the Ministry since last year, the last week of December and requested that the process commence but we did not receive a reply from the Ministry as yet. We will be sending a reminder next week so we can get the process going,” she related during a brief telephone interview.

She explained that the Union is commencing the process to allow for adequate consultations with the government in relation to salary increases for public servants so as to prevent impositions.

“I am not in the office at this time and don’t have the correspondence to share with you but I can do that when I get into office on Monday,” she added.

When contacted on Friday afternoon, Public Service Minister Sonia Parag related that she was not in a position to provide any information relating to the GPSU since she was “out at an event”. However, she did promise to return a call but this did not happen.

Back in November last year, the government had announced a 7% retroactive increase for all public servants

GPSU Vice President Dawn Gardener

without the input of the Union. The GPSU has since accused the government of being “autocratic” and breaching its obligations to act in accordance with the Constitution as well as the Trade Union Recognition Act of 1997.

The Union had also accused the government of ignoring International Labour Organisation (ILO) conventions and the legally binding agreement for the Avoidance and

Settlement of Disputes, which was signed by the Union and the Public Service Ministry.

“It is most unfortunate the display of lawlessness that has occurred but it was deliberate. They have no respect for other organisations that they have obligations to discuss these things with and it is most unfortunate. They only have regards for the laws that applies to their status and their legitimacy and nothing else. This is a worrying situation because in this modern day this is the autocratic approach we are dealing with,” GPSU leader Patrick Yarde had told this newspaper.

Back then, defending the decision to not consult with the Union, Minister Parag told this newspaper that the government was “pressed for time” before it announced its 7% increase for public servants.

“We did engage with the GPSU where they proposed certain increases and we told them that we would have to get back to them on and discuss further on but time did not permit me, because the exercises (GOAL Scholarships etc were) going on,” Parag had said.

Back in July last year, the Union had written to the government threatening to take action and report it to the ILO for breaching their agreements. Additionally it also criticised the government for not responding to a series of letters written to the Ministry between September, 2020 and April, 2021.