GEORGETOWN, GUYANA – The Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU) is pushing back hard against claims that a proposed 35% wage increase for public servants is “unsustainable,” arguing that the real crisis is not fiscal, but human.
In a sharply worded statement, the union said Guyanese public servants are being forced to survive on wages that barely cover half of what’s needed for a basic, dignified life.
The current minimum wage in the public sector stands at $102,346, while the union estimates that a living wage in Guyana is closer to $215,000 per month. The union’s response comes amid growing debate over APNU presidential candidate Aubrey Norton’s campaign promise to raise public sector salaries by 35% if elected.
While some government voices have questioned whether such a move is financially viable, the GPSU argues that it is not only possible, it is long overdue.
“How can a country boasting the highest GDP per capita in the region justify paying public servants poverty wages?” the union asked, calling the contradiction “stark and indefensible.”
Public servants, they said, are enduring more than just low pay. Many workers are not receiving pensions or gratuity, despite decades of service. Others are required to put in a standard 40-hour work week without any overtime compensation, according to the union.
Those hardships are only being compounded by surging inflation, particularly in food and housing, which continues to erode purchasing power and drive qualified professionals out of the country.
“When skilled workers leave because they can’t survive, the country suffers,” the statement noted. The GPSU is urging the government to shift its focus from short-term cash handouts to long-term solutions that offer security and respect.
“Steady, fair wage increases give workers something to plan their lives around. They build the foundation for a retirement with dignity,” the union said.
The union is also sounding the alarm on the breakdown of collective bargaining practices, calling on the government to respect the law and engage in serious negotiations.
“We’ve been here before,” the GPSU warned, referencing the 1999 strike that shut down major sectors of the public service. “We do not want a repeat.”
At a time when Guyana is experiencing rapid economic growth, the union says leaving public servants behind is both unethical and unsustainable. “Economic growth must mean fbetter lives, not just better headlines.”
As the September 1 elections draw closer, the issue of wage justice for public servants is shaping up to be a central fault line—and one the union insists will not be ignored.
