The Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU) is expressing deep frustration over what it describes as the Government’s failure to honour the terms of a Collective Labour Agreement signed in December 2024, which included an 8% across-the-board salary increase for public servants in 2025.
Despite the agreement stipulating that the 8% increase would be implemented effective January 1, 2025, public servants are yet to receive the promised adjustment, now more than five months into the year. In a public statement, the union accused the Government of reneging on its commitment and urged immediate compliance with the terms of the legally binding agreement.
“This delay in implementation is not only a breach of trust but a breach of the signed agreement that followed months of dialogue and negotiation,” the union stated, calling on authorities to “respect collective bargaining and honour what was agreed upon.”
The two-year agreement, signed on December 10, 2024, followed what both sides then described as “extensive discussions and negotiations.” It covered salary adjustments for 2024 and 2025, including a retroactive 10% increase for the year 2024, and an 8% raise slated for 2025.
While the agreement drew mixed reactions from some union members at the time, with criticisms that it did not go far enough to address longstanding wage concerns, GPSU had defended the deal as a “step in the right direction,” especially in the context of ongoing economic challenges and rising costs of living.
In its latest statement, the union also raised renewed concerns about the Government’s continued reliance on contract workers to fill substantive positions within the public service. The union contends that this practice not only undermines the security of tenure for permanent staff but also stifles opportunities for career progression.
“The presence of contract workers in long-term roles erodes the structure and integrity of the public service and diminishes upward mobility for deserving officers,” the GPSU noted.
The issue of salary increases and employment security in Guyana’s public service has historically been contentious. Over the past two decades, public servants have periodically engaged in protests and industrial action to demand better wages, improved working conditions, and greater respect for collective bargaining processes.
The GPSU, in particular, has long positioned itself as a vocal advocate for public sector workers, pushing back against what it sees as piecemeal or politically motivated approaches to public service reform.
As the impasse continues, the union is urging public servants to remain vigilant and united in their call for justice, even as it warns that continued government inaction may lead to further unrest within the public sector.
