Lewis wants speedy move on wages, salaries talks
– with Public Service COI report submitted to President
Now that the report of the Commission of Inquiry into the Public Service has been completed and handed over to the President there should be no further delay to engagement between the government and the union or unions concerned on the matter of public servants’ salaries, General Secretary of the Guyana Trades Union Congress (GTUC) Lincoln Lewis has told the Stabroek Business.
“Let’s face it. Public servants pay have been, perhaps, the biggest labour-related injustices in our recent history. More than that it really is a matter of the government honoring a commitment made by the President regarding the commencement of the negotiations at a time close to the handing over of the COI’s report. Now that the COI has been handed over there is really nothing to wait for,” Lewis said.
Asked about the need for a period of time within which to allow the two sides to prepare for what, effectively, is expected to be a return to collective bargaining between the government and its employees, Lewis said that while one expects that there will have to be a preparatory process “It is important that we do not move to a position where the issue of preparation becomes one of needless delay in commencing the …to conti