- Promises serious consequences if Inaction continues.
The Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU) has threatened the Government of Guyana with serious action if a revision is not done on the proposed 5 and 8 percent wages and salaries increase. The union has issued the Government a 48 hour ultimatum to hear its calls or the union will respond within a week of the expiration of the 48 hours.
President of the GPSU, Patrick Yarde expressed the view that the government’s defiance will lead to dire consequences, since the union is prepared to go even further than the last 57 day strike held in 1997. Yarde vented his frustration at the Government imposition of the new increases, citing it is another failure on the part of the President to keep his word. He noted the President initially agreed that wages would not be imposed but rather he would engage the union in talks to come up with a satisfactory wage increase.
He said he has since penned the Head of State reminding him of his promises to the union and all public sector workers. Yarde has however indicated that the Union is prepared to accept the eight percent increase as an interim offer across the board to all public service workers and demands that Government officials initiate discussions with the GPSU within the stipulated 48 hours. The GPSU maintains that several occasions to facilitate talks on the wage issue came up futile, since there has been no attempt on the part of the Government to meet with representatives of the union.
