Education Ministry Defies Court Order on GTU Union Dues, May Face Contempt Charges
By Travis Chase | HGP Nightly News.
Georgetown, Guyana – The Ministry of Education is under scrutiny for allegedly disregarding a High Court ruling that deemed it unconstitutional to halt the automatic deduction of union dues for the Guyana Teachers’ Union (GTU).
Newly elected GTU President Coretta McDonald has publicly condemned what she described as the government’s deliberate disregard for the judiciary following the Ministry’s failure to comply with the court’s April 17, 2024, order to resume the automatic deduction and remittance of teachers’ union dues.
“Because of the vindictiveness of this government, our teachers’ dues are not being remitted to this union,” McDonald told supporters. “They stopped that in February 2024.”
The stoppage followed a prolonged strike by the GTU aimed at pressuring the government into collective bargaining for increased salaries and benefits. The High Court ruling by Justice Sandil Kissoon found the government’s move to be unlawful and ordered the immediate reinstatement of the deductions.
The government subsequently appealed the ruling, but the Court of Appeal declined a stay, affirming that the GTU would suffer “undue prejudice” and that “the balance of justice lies in favor of the union.”
Despite the setback in court, the Ministry of Education has yet to resume deductions, prompting legal observers to warn that the state may soon face contempt of court proceedings.
“Our teachers are committed,” McDonald emphasized. “Many are now using pay-over-the-counter services and MMG to submit their dues directly.”
McDonald, who leads a newly elected GTU executive, pledged to strengthen representation for teachers and hold the government accountable.
“Together with the new team, we are going to work to ensure that our teachers are offered the best representation that they could have asked for,” she declared.
As legal tension mounts, education stakeholders await the next move in what is shaping up to be a critical showdown between the judiciary and the executive over trade union rights and constitutional compliance.
