President of the Guyana Teachers’ Union (GTU) Mark Lyte, on Thursday afternoon called off the Teachers’ countrywide strike, citing the negotiation impasse now heading to arbitration as the deciding factor.
Moreover, Lyte posited that teachers will resume fully on Monday, September 10 and has advised those who can turn out tomorrow (Friday) to do so.
According to the GTU head, a press conference will be held tomorrow to update teachers on the way forward and explain the arbitration process in detail.
Earlier on Thursday, Chief Labour Officer (CLO) Charles Ogle during a meeting with the GTU and the Education Ministry revealed that the parties are set to go to arbitration.
Ogle disclosed that while no new offers were made to the Union, the discussions were based on reintegration of the teachers back into schools across Guyana without salary cuts.
In arbitration, the Union and Government are expected to put forth evidence to justify their cause and the decision made would be final.
Scores of teachers who were protesting the Ministry of Brickdam had anxiously assembled outside of the meeting to hear the deliberations.
Teachers are seeking increases of 40 per cent under a multi-year arrangement up to 2020. However, Government maintained that it just cannot afford this proposal.
The Opposition and other commentators have argued however, that if Government reduces its bloated and unnecessary expenditures they could find the monies to pay the teachers.
