By Richard A. Simon

St. George’s, Grenada, 29^th March, 2023 (RS): The President of the Grenadian Union of Teachers,(GUT)  Jude Bartholomew on Wednesday described as Historic, the conclusion a new 3-year salary agreement with the government of Grenada after less than one year of negotiations.

The agreement provides a 13% increase in salaries for educators between 2023 and 2025, the biggest increase in 35 years, as well as a list of fringe benefits which will impact a number of the island’s principals and members of the teaching profession.

According to Mr. Bartholomew, the ceremony was the culmination of negotiations which began in 2022 and provides 4% for 2023, 4% for 2024 and 5% for 2025 with other benefits, including special compensation for marking of School Based Assessments papers (SBAs) and other regional examinations papers, a matter that has been under discussion among regional trade unions and governments.

This is a historic moment that we should appreciate and recognize. We may not have gotten, and you may never get all that you want and hope to, but at the same time when you come together and come to a common understanding I think we are at a very good place,” Mr. Bartholomew said.

He said while the GUT wanted a greater percentage increase for its members, the agreement was the result of several factors including the Dickon Mitchell administration’s decision to repay teachers the EC $1.2M docked from the salaries in 2018 by the previous government of Dr. Keith Mitchell, following GUT organized  industrial action seeking the reinstatement of pension payments.

He also pointed to the fact that the government kept its election campaign promise to pay public officers their pensions which was the subject of several court rulings and years of contentious negotiations and debate.

Deputy Head of the Government Negotiating team, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Public Administration, Lindonna Hillaire-Marshall, said the engagement was “extremely cordial” despite some frank discussions. We know how negotiations can be.”

“We know fully well that both sides have the same interests. We are interested in the betterment of our workers, mindful of the fact that our workers are the value of our value asset to be able to realize the government’s transformational agenda.

Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell, who over saw the signing ceremony echoed earlier sentiments that his government would engage respectfully with trade unions representatives in a bid to change Grenada’s the industrial climate, which has been characterized by confrontation and tensions.

“Too often our industrial climate is characterized by strife. We have to get to the point where we can have healthy differences, we can debate, we can disagree. But we have to find a way where we recognize that the teachers are members of the GUT but the teachers are ultimately our staff…and so we have an obligation to look out for them, to be as fair as we can for them he said.

He gave a personal commitment to “be as fair as we can” in giving “more” if the economy grows “bearing in mind that all resources are finite.”

He called for other unions to follow the lead of the GUT and conclude agreements with the government covering increases for their members, adding that the issue was crucial as the government proceeds with its plans for fortnightly payment of salaries to public officers.

“It is important because as was pointed out we are moving to bimonthly payments on the 15^th of April and we certainly want to be in a position where all public sector workers employed by the state benefit from the increases in their salaries almost immediately and so we don’t have to deal with the complications and the administrative tasks for retroactive pay,” the Prime Minister said.

A source close to the Gut leadership indicated that the union’s team entered the negotiating space with an initial proposal for 9% for 2023, 9% for 2024 and 9% for 2024.