GPSU Press Release: 6.5% Salary Imposition on Public Sector Workers by the Government of Guyana

The Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU) would like to first and foremost, reaffirm its unwavering public commitment to stand in unity with the nation in the face of what it deems an existential treat to Guyana’s territorial integrity by Venezuela.

Nevertheless, the Union views the Government of Guyana’s most recent Unilateral Salary Imposition of 6.5% for Public Sectors Workers as most insensitive, uncaring, and a blatant disregard for the collective bargaining process.

Noteworthy is that the Union’s position is shared by several other workers’ representatives and the general public at large. The widely held view is that pertinent factors such as Guyana’s rapid acceleration in GDP Growth over the past few years, and associated increases in revenue, would have resulted in meaningful benefits for workers. Hence, a meager 6.5% salary imposition is considered insulting and warrants sharp rebuke to say the least.

Accordingly, the following matrix exemplifies Government’s refusal to give workers a fair share of Guyana’s newfound wealth:

Year

GDP Growth

Salary Increase

2020

43.5%

0%

2021

20.1%

7%

2022

62.3%

8%

2023

38.4%

6.5%

Further, significant disparity in Government’s distribution of the country’s wealth is evident in its management of the Oil Revenues. It was widely reported that two hundred and nine billion Guyana Dollars (209 billion GYD) was drawn down from the Natural Resources Fund as of Nov 30th, 2023. By contrast, the 6.5% across the board increases for 2023 amounted to seven billion, nine hundred million (7.9 billion GYD), a mere 3.78% of the Government’s drawdown.

Ultimately, the government must know their violations of legal requirements for collective bargaining with recognized unions as well as the unevenness in distribution of resources are seriously undermining their desperate efforts to galvanize the country against the existential threats by Venezuela. These prejudicial actions destroy any attempt at the illusive national unity we seek. At this juncture the government cannot adopt an unlawful position of choosing to negotiate with unions it deems friendly while unjustly denying constitutional rights to unions deemed to be opposition aligned as posited by Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo in a Demerara Waves article on 9-11-2023. At a time when prices are intolerable, the average worker received a paltry $25,000 one off with a $4,875 increase on the minimum wage while retrenched sugar workers received $250,000 cash grant after acquiring their severance in December 2021. The average worker sees this behavior as blatant disrespect and discrimination which cannot be appeased with photo opportunities, glowing unity statements, and mere superficial gestures of solidarity. The government must change its posture towards tens of thousands of public servants who are currently denied their legal rights to be represented by their recognized trade unions as part of their attempts at national unity particularly when trying to portray Guyana as a law-abiding nation to the international community. At this rate the country will continue to face the crippling brain drain in professional and highly technical fields such as health and aviation in search for better wages and respect on foreign shores.

The Guyana Public Service Union has been, and continues to be very responsible in its dealing with the government, additionally, as outlined in the opening paragraph, we are not oblivious to the existential threat facing our country. Notwithstanding which, the Union’s restraint thus far, provides ample opportunity for the Government of Guyana to correct its executive lawlessness and abuse at a time when they should be displaying inclusiveness and sensitivity for the plight of the working class.