Education Ministry wants teachers’ strike to end before conciliation can proceed
See below the full statement issued by the Ministry of Education following another meeting with the Guyana Teachers’ Union (GTU):
On 12th May 2024, the Ministry of Education (MoE) initiated the conciliation process in keeping with the grievance procedure as documented in the 1990 Memorandum of
Agreement signed by the MoE and the Guyana Teachers’ Union (GTU).
This process was initiated to resolve the dispute in respect of the timeframe for the new multi-year agreement. The third meeting between the MoE and the GTU was held today 20th May 2024 at 1pm at the Ministry of Labour. The MoE maintained that there be strict adherence to the 1990 agreement and that the grievance procedure be followed as per the said agreement.
In this regard, the MoE indicated to GTU that they must end the strike before conciliation can commence on the impasse. Notably, the last paragraph under section 5 -General Questions (page 5 of the grievance procedure) states:
‘During the consideration of the matter in dispute under the procedure, there shall be no strike, stoppage of work whether of a partial or general nature, go slow, boycott, picketing, retardation of production or any other interference with the Ministry’s operations, by the Union, nor shall there be any lockout or any other form of interference with the Ministry’s operations, by the Union, nor shall there be any lock out or any other form of interference by the Ministry. Both parties shall endeavour to maintain a state of normal Industrial Relations.’
The Ministry of Education insists that the Guyana Teachers’ Union acts in good faith and honours this agreement. Conciliation cannot commence until the strike has ended and a state of normalcy returns. The Ministry of Education reiterates its readiness to work together to determine a multiyear agreement from 2024.
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