Incoming GTU President Slams Government for “Unforgivable” Suspension of Union Dues Deduction
By Travis Chase | HGP Nightly News.
GEORGETOWN, GUYANA — The Guyana Teachers’ Union (GTU) is once again taking aim at the government’s decision to halt the automatic deduction and remittance of union membership dues—a move the union says was a direct attack on its ability to function and represent educators.
Speaking on the sidelines of this year’s Labour Day March, incoming GTU President, Ketta MacDonald, made it clear that restoring the automatic dues system will be a top priority when the new GTU executive takes office.
“That act is unforgivable for teachers,” MacDonald declared. “Its main aim was to crush the union and leave our teachers without representation. We will never forgive the government for doing that.”
The policy change, which was implemented by the People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) government, has left the union financially strained and has threatened the livelihoods of 15 GTU staff members, according to MacDonald.
“If systems aren’t urgently put in place, 15 families will be left without income,” she warned. “Even those receiving pensions from us could be placed on the breadline.”
MacDonald, who is currently the GTU’s long-serving General Secretary and the sole candidate for the presidency in the upcoming union elections, has vowed to hold the government accountable and advocate relentlessly for teachers’ rights.
“Today we recommit to uniting this movement. We will demand the respect workers deserve. That includes restoring collective bargaining, ending workplace harassment, and pushing for equal opportunities for every member of the working class,” she said passionately.
The GTU elections are scheduled for later this year, and with no other contenders, MacDonald is set to take over as president—a move expected to energize the union’s campaign for stronger representation and structural reforms.
