Government has announced its “final offer” to the unionized workers in the Public Service—an increase in the minimum wage from $55,000 per month to $60,000 along with staggered increases in wages and salaries with the band of lowest paid workers being offered an eight per cent increase.
The announcement was made by Minister of State, Joseph Harmon during a Post Cabinet press engagement.
He told media operatives the decision to make the final offer was taken in light of the impending presentation of the 2018 Budget by the Minister of Finance.
According to Minister Harmon, Government had made its final offer of an eight per cent increase for public service employees earning between $55,000 and $99,999.
Public service employees earning between $100,000 and $299,999 are being offered an increase of six per cent while workers earning between $300,000 and $500,000 have been offered a five per cent increase.
Those earning between $500,000 and $699,999 have been offered a four per cent increased while those earning $700,000 to $799.999 are proposed a two per cent increase.
Employees earning between $800,000 and $1M have been proposed a 0.5 per cent increase while those earning above $1M have been ‘red circled and will benefit from no increases.’
Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of the Presidency, Reginald Brotherson, on hand for the announcement by Minster Harmon, indicated to media operatives that the increases are expected to pile on an additional $3.6B to the national wages bill.
Brotherson told reporters that the final offer made to Union was not countered since the Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU) was still of the view that the talks over the 2016 increases were not completed.
According to Brotherson however, all negotiations for wages and salaries for 2016 have been completed.
