The PPP/C-led administration recently facilitated the signing of two agreements to foster improved workers’ welfare and industrial relations between government entities and workers unions. Specifically, Senior Minister for Finance and the Public Service, Dr. Ashni Singh, oversaw the signing of agreements between the Guyana Power and Light (GPL) Incorporated and the Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU) and separately, between with the Guyana Oil Company Limited (GUYOIL) and the Clerical and Commercial Workers Union (CCWU).
The signing ceremonies took place at the Ministry of Finance in the presence of representatives of the workers’ unions and the companies involved as well as the Ministry of Finance.
The first agreement (between GPL and GPSU) is a two-year agreement (2024-2025) allowing for an increase in salaries and allowances for GPL workers and the second agreement (between GUYOIL and CCWU) also paving the way for increased salaries and allowances, is a three-year agreement for the years 2024-2026.
Speaking during the signing of the first agreement between GPL and GPSU, Minister Singh said the agreement covers two years and comes against the background of a succession of multiyear agreements that Government has been able to conclude between agencies in the public sector and the various labour Unions.
“The agreements represent just the two most recent instalments in what constitutes a visible manifestation of President Ali’s Government’s commitment to a favourable industrial relations climate. I would say that the last two years perhaps were historic years in connection to the industrial relations climate in Guyana, in particular, in relation to the number of multiyear agreements concluded,” Minister Singh added.
Minister Singh said, “the fact that we’ve been able as a government to conclude so many multiyear agreements really is something that I’m immensely proud of. It is reflective of the maturity of the relationship that we enjoy with the unions in Guyana and the maturity with which the leadership of the unions have adopted its engagement with us…”
Chief Labour Officer Dhaneshwar Deonarine, during brief remarks said he was pleased that the respective parties were able to conclude agreements as he applauded the management of the entities and the union, pointing out that in many cases, collective bargaining isn’t about winning but examining the best interest of those whom the bargaining entities are serving.
In his remarks, GPL’s Team Leader for its Management Committee, Kesh Nandlall said GPL is in an expansion mode and the company has a pivotal role to provide cheap and reliable power across the country especially now during the economic expansion taking place. He also recognized Minister Singh’s role during the negotiation process which led to the successful conclusion of the agreement.
It would be recalled that in 2024, the government and the Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU), after extensive discussions and negotiations also concluded a multi-year agreement with respect to employment benefits for public servants for 2024 and 2025 and this represented the first agreement concluded by the GPSU with any Government in recent memory. Under that agreement, public servants benefitted from a 10 percent salary increase for 2024 and will benefit from an 8 percent salary increase in 2025.
This followed a 3-year Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Guyana Teachers Union (GTU) and the Ministry of Education (MOE). Government also concluded similar multi-year agreements with the University of Guyana Senior Staff Association (UGSSA), University of Guyana Workers Union (UGWU), and the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU). In this regard, workers received a 10 percent salary increase for 2024, and an 8 percent and 9 percent increase to be paid in 2025 and 2026, respectively.
