Guyana Teachers Union has threatened to go on strike on the first day of school
Guyana’s education system could be thrown into chaos on Monday after the Guyana Teachers’ Union (GTU) called on its members to take industrial action to protest the government’s vaccination policy regarding the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
The GTU is among trade unions here, including the Guyana Trade Union Congress (GTUC), filing a motion in the High Court urging it to set aside the government’s policy on vaccination that they say is intended to force workers to become vaccinated against the virus.
GTU Vice President Mark Lyte told reporters that would be taking industrial action if any unvaccinated teacher is turned away from school
“We will be monitoring very closely what will take place at our various schools, and if one teacher is prevented from accessing the school, we are advising our members that all of us must withdraw our service and let us see who will teach the children,” he told reporters as the union staged a protest outside the Ministry of Education building.
He said people enjoy individual choices and should not be compelled to disclose their medical history to anyone, urging that the Ministry of Education consult with teachers and take their concerns to the President and Cabinet.
The unions want the High Court to quash the COVID-19 Emergency Measures (Number 20) Notice dated July 29, 2021, and published in the Extraordinary Publication of the Official Gazette on the same day.
Those measures require government workers and public transportation providers, among others, to be vaccinated or have in their possession a recent negative PCR test before they can enter their workplaces, transact business with government agencies or provide transportation services.
Attorney General Anil Nandlall is the respondent in the matter. The trade unions are also asking that the government bear the cost of a COVID-19 testing regime for State employees until the determination of the Fixed Date Application.
Education Minister Priya Manickchand said she was confident that many schools would be staffed by teachers who have been vaccinated.
She said more than 50 percent of the estimated 9,000 teachers had been vaccinated, acknowledging, however, that no plans have yet been formulated should teachers adhere to the call of the union.
“I have not made those kinds of arrangements. I believe the teachers of this country will be responsible, and I believe that they are aware that the education of the nation’s children rests on their children,” she said, questioning whether the GTU was speaking for the majority of teachers who would like to return to the classrooms from September 6.
“It would be foolish of me to say that teachers staying away won’t have an impact because it will. At this point, I’m asking each teacher to look into their hearts and determine what is their duty when there is an existential threat, what is their professional duty to this country, to themselves, and the children that they are sworn to serve” she said.
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