Edu. Ministry says committed to talks with teachers after union abandons meeting

The government’s team is willing to engage the union on pay increases for 2024 and numerous other matters that would improve the overall welfare of teachers.

The ministry believes that the union’s decision to walk out of a meeting on Tuesday was not a show of good faith for bonafide negotiations.

At the meeting, the Ministry of Education was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Shannielle Hoosein-Outar; Chief Education Officer, Saddam Hussain; Deputy Chief Education Officer, Marti DeSouza; Deputy Chief Education Officer- Admin, Tiffany Harvey; the Ministry’s Human Resource Manager, Jacqueline Simon; and Senior Education Officer, Kerwin Jacobs.

On the other side, the GTU was represented by its President, Mark Lyte; General Secretary, Coretta McDonald; and other members: Mariska Williams, Heathcliff Peters, Sumanta Alleyne, Collis Nicholson, Donnette D’Andrade, Rabindrauth Boodram, Colin Bynoe, Deoraj Nauth, Sergio Joseph, and Vanessa Kissoon.

A release from the Ministry of Education noted that both sides reached an impasse since the GTU representatives indicated that they are only interested in discussing salaries, particularly between the period of 2019 – 2023 and nothing else.

“The meeting was chaired by Mrs. Hoosein-Outar who upheld the Government’s position that discussions surrounding salary increases should be from 2024 onwards.

“She explained that increases for the prior years would have financial implications, and that the 2024 budget does not have the fiscal space to accommodate the retroactive payment of salaries for teachers during the period 2019 – 2023.

“Mrs. Hoosein-Outar asked the Union’s representatives to submit to the Ministry a proposal which would capture their request for a multiyear agreement commencing 2024,” the release said.

It also noted that there are 25 other measures that were identified by both sides for discussion.