Braving the blazing sun and enduring almost unbearable humidity and heat, teachers are out in massive numbers outside the Ministry of Labour in Brickman, Georgetown following the resumption of strike action.
The intended resumption, which was announced on Labour Day by Guyana Teachers’ Union (GTU) President Dr. Mark Lyte, has apparently galvanised teachers and supporters.
Village Voice News notes that some of the protesters have said that they are not teachers, but they have come out in solidarity with striking workers.
Teachers, represented by the GTU, have resumed strike action, in demands for collective bargaining, better wages, and improved working conditions. So far, the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) government has turned a deaf ear to their pleas.
However, it is evident – based on comments on social media and elsewhere – that there is widespread support for the actions of teachers, and the fact that ordinary people are joining the picket seems to underscore that fact.