The Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU) and the Clerical and Commercial Workers’ Union (CCWU) have signed landmark wage agreements with two major state entities, Guyana Power and Light Inc. (GPL) and Guyana Oil Company Limited (Guyoil), paving the way for significant salary increases and enhanced benefits for hundreds of workers.
The agreements, finalized after months of negotiations, cover the periods 2024-2025 for GPL employees and 2024-2026 for Guyoil staff. Under the new terms, workers will benefit from substantial salary hikes, improved allowances, and a raft of incentives designed to reward experience, qualifications, and long service.
For GPL staff represented by the GPSU, the two-year agreement includes a 10% salary increase retroactive to January 1, 2024, and a further 8% increase effective January 1, 2025. These adjustments are part of a broader government strategy that has resulted in a cumulative 46% salary increase for public servants over the past five years. The deal also introduces debunching measures, moving employees with four or more years of service to higher pay points within their scales, resulting in increases of up to 13% for some, and as much as 26% for those with eight years or more in the same grade.
Guyoil workers, represented by the CCWU, have secured similar improvements under their three-year pact, which also emphasizes salary increases and enhanced benefits through 2026.
Both agreements feature new qualification allowances, with monthly payments for workers holding advanced degrees or professional certifications. Uniform, travel, housing, risk, and station allowances have also been increased, and special incentives such as duty-free concessions for nursing staff and scholarship opportunities for further education are now part of the benefits package.
Union leaders and government officials have hailed the agreements as historic, marking a new era of industrial relations and worker empowerment. The deals are expected to boost morale and productivity while reinforcing the government’s commitment to improving the livelihoods of public sector employees.
The GPSU and CCWU have expressed appreciation for the constructive spirit of the negotiations and the government’s responsiveness to workers’ needs. Both unions have pledged continued collaboration with management to ensure that the terms of the agreements are fully implemented and that workers’ rights and welfare remain a top priority.
