Coretta urges gov’t to deduct salaries, says she has corporate ‘sponsor’ to reimburse striking teachers

The General Secretary of the Guyana Teachers’ Union (GTU) Coretta McDonald says she has a corporate sponsor to reimburse striking teachers if monies from their salaries are deducted.

The GTU called the strike even though the process of negotiations on teachers’ conditions and benefits have not been exhausted. Strike action is usually taken when talks break down.

As a result, the government has said the strike is illegal.

Some teachers have decided to strike while some have chosen not to.

McDonald, appearing on the picket line in front of the Ministry of Education Monday said if the salaries of teachers are deducted, then that will be “good news” because “corporate sponsors out there have already pledged to that they will reimburse our teachers.”

She did not say who the sponsor is, how much was pledged to her, or what mechanism will be put in place to distribute the money that was promised.

The Ministry of Education said some head teachers supporting the strike have locked the schools, preventing teachers who want to work from entering. The Ministry said those head teachers will be reported to the Teaching Service Commission which has a responsibility to discipline teachers.

The Ministry has also called on teachers to report it if they face threats and intimidation by striking teachers or agents of the GTU.