GPL transmission and distribution employees demand better salaries

The Guyana Power and Light (GPL) Company may have to return to the negotiation table as workers this morning strike in protest of better salary increases, after rejecting a two percent offered by the company.

As if things couldn’t get worse over at the Guyana Power and Light Company (GPL) after weeks of constant power outages across the country, on Monday, its workers said they are not prepared to sit and accept a two percent increase across the board on their salaries.

GPL’s position was also rejected by the workers Union, the National Association of Agricultural, Commercial and Industrial Employees (NAACIE) after a yearlong negotiation.

Transmission and distribution workers began strike action in demand for higher salaries. The disappointed workers said they are prepared to strike as long as possible until the power company rethinks about offering more than two percent.

Almost all of the employees within the company after getting wind of the possible increase have since expressed dissatisfaction at what GPL is offering them.

Meanwhile, NAACIE President, Kenneth Joseph told News Room that the Union is frustrated and is saddened that workers are forced to take such actions. Joseph said he was informed by GPL on Monday that they are not ready to talk with the Union at the moment and they might be offering something different.

Aside from the two percent across the board, the union managed to secure a three percent increase for in-scale movement of workers within the company.

According to the Union, similar strike actions were done by other locations around the country and the Labour Department along with GPL were informed by the decision of the workers.