GTU to intensify protest actions

The Guyana Teachers Union (GTU) has pledged to intensify its picketing exercises until the rule of law within the education system regarding teachers’ welfare is upheld and teachers are treated fairly.

GTU General Secretary Coretta McDonald told this publication that the Union was committed to continuing its battle against the Teaching Service Commission (TSC).

The Union had shared that the TSC has continued to ignore its appeals regarding the non- promotion of senior teachers since last year. The Commission had stated it would not be engaging in any negotiations in relation to this matter with the Union.

McDonald stated that this move by the Commission was affecting and frustrating teachers all across the country.

She added that during this time teachers usually looked forward to filling up application forms in anticipation of a promotion, which could not happen because there was a matter in court.

“There will be no vacancy notices going out, so teachers will not be able to fill out application forms,” McDonald said, “So we feel that this is the time we have to intensify our picketing action until the Government decides to say something to us, to either remove the Commission or get the Commission to straighten up.”

The General Secretary stated that protest actions would be intensified over the coming weeks, since the TSC was not working according to its mandatory schedule and was ignoring the criteria to be followed within the educational system.

Members of the Union had recently taken up protesting outside the TSC office as a result of several appointments made by the Commission.

GTU President Mark Lyte had told reporters that the Union would continue to reject the Commission until the new members were removed by the relevant authorities. He had shared that the Commission’s new members were appointed at a time when the matter was in the court, which imposed a responsibility on the Commission not to make any appointments until a decision has arrived at in court.

Lyte labelled the actions of the TSC as complete disregard for the law.

The Union is once again calling on President David Granger to appoint a new Commission, which it believes should comprise “professional persons”, warning that otherwise its protest would never be over.