Public servants continue to reject five percent pay hike

Dec 04, 2013 News

– say Govt. being unfair
Public servants from several governmental agencies across the country continue to reject the five percent pay hike which was imposed on them by government.
The workers, including GPHC staff and teachers, yesterday picketed in front the Office of the President, calling on the government to review the percentage of the payout they (public servants) are about to receive. They promised to continue with their protest until their demands are met.

The protesters yesterday after they walked from the office of the President to the Guyana Public Service Union.

“Come on man, this is so unfair. Our salary is $35,000. Five percent of that is $1750. So with the increase our salary will be $36,750. There are people with five children working for that salary with bills to pay,” one protester, Sanford Eddy posited.
Another protester stressed that he has to provide for his three children with $45,000 per month. “My wife is not working. I have to put food on the table. I have bills to pay and rent every month.”
Some of the placards read, “Uncle Granger, please do something to help us”, “It is time to respect your workers, Mr. President”, “We will stand in unity and fight for our dignity”, “No work until you increase our salary.”
The demonstrators also held placards, pleading with the President to stop throwing away billions of taxpayers’ money on overpriced drugs.
“Stop wasting millions on expired drugs and give us a decent wage”, “Stop throwing away billions on overpriced drugs.” “Five percent is not enough”, “Mr. President, why waste money on expired drugs? We need it to feed our children.”
Chanting “Five percent cant wuk, no money, no work,” the protesters walked from the Office of the President to the Guyana Public Service Union.
Dennis English, Senior Industrial Relations Officer told Kaieteur News that “the government is clear that they don’t have confidence in the five percent, which is why they don’t want it to go through the negotiation process.”
He added, “The government is imposing the five percent increase on us because they (the government) know any decent thinking person having to decide on whether five percent is adequate, will go against it.”
The protesters are asking for a 25 percent increase. They stressed that the National 2013 Budget provided for a 15 percent increase. “They thief the money out to give GINA and NCN and now we have to punish.”