THE Guyana Power and Light Inc (GPL) has made proposals to the National Association of Agricultural, Commercial and Industrial Employee (NAACIE) on July 20, 2020, for a three-year Collective Labour Agreement (CLA) for the years 2020, 2021, 2022.
According to a release, this proposal includes a restructured Performance-Based Incentive that will positively impact annual salary increases.
“All other clauses have been reviewed and retained in this proposed CLA. The current CLA was established in January 2001. NAACIE submitted its counter proposal to GPL in September 2020 and negotiations commenced in September 2020 and continued into October 2020. These sessions resulted in the mutual agreement of a number of clauses that did not include the Across-the-Board and Performance Incentive Award Clauses,” the release said.
It noted that, in March 2021, NAACIE submitted a revised proposal, which would result in a significant increase in salaries of 15, 17 and 19 per cent respectively over the three-year period.
Negotiations between NAACIE and GPL resumed in March 2021 and there was mutual agreement on 66 clauses except for two – Across-the-Board increases and the Performance-Based Incentive.

These two clauses, GPL said would have the largest impact on the company’s financial position. In December 2020, the company paid all staff $25,000, despite its financial position that has been negatively impacted by the unprecedented and protracted COVID-19 pandemic.
This pandemic contributed to a significant and unbudgeted expenditure that was necessary to ensure the company’s continued operation. During the first quarter of 2021, the world market fuel prices per barrel exceeded GPL’s 2021 budgeted prices by approximately 50 per cent.
“Should prices remain at this level the company will incur additional and unbudgeted expenditure of approximately six billion Guyana dollars ($6B). Despite this significant financial challenge, the company remains committed to amicably resolving the existing differences through negotiations and GPL expects that the union will embrace a responsible position on this matter.

GPL also unequivocally refutes the statements made in relation to the annual and automatic 12 per cent increase to the basic salaries of the Company’s Executive Directors. There is absolutely no truth in this statement,” the company said.
On the matter of the acquisition of two vehicles for GPL’s Divisional Directors, GPL categorically states that these vehicles were acquired through a National Competitive Bidding Process. Five bids were received and were comprehensively evaluated in accordance with the company’s Procurement Manual. The tender was awarded to the lowest evaluated bidder.
“For clarity, these vehicles, which are the property of the company are utilised by the Executive Directors in the execution of their duties. GPL remains committed to amicably resolving the existing differences through negotiations,” the release concluded.