PARAMARIBO--Teachers in Suriname are returning to work today, Monday, after a strike that has kept schools closed for more than two weeks. At a general membership meeting of their unions Alliance for Teachers ALS and Union of Teachers BvL in Paramaribo last Saturday, they signed off on a settlement proposed by Judge Suzana Chu and agreed to reopen schools on provisional terms that a structural solution would be found for their grievances by February 13.
BvL chairman Wilgo Valies told his members at the meeting on Saturday that – as per the agreement – talks with Government would resume as of today, Monday, and Government’s promises for salary raises would be filled within two weeks. The veteran unionist said he was willing to give the Judge’s proposal a try. “We are tired of the cowboy salaries and we held through,” he said to loud cheers from the teachers.
The teachers aligned with the unions have been on strike since January 10, demanding that Government finally come through with promises for the revaluation of salary scales.
Government had promised last year that the revaluation would be implemented as of January 2017, but retracted earlier this month with promises that it would take effect in March. On Monday, January 23, the teachers refused an offer for a temporary raise of SR $350 to SR $500 extra, stressing that they would only accept an immediate revaluation. Until it is implemented, schools will remain closed. Government then dragged the unions to court.
At the first hearing of the case on Thursday, the judge heard arguments from the lawyers on both sides of the aisle, but instead of announcing a ruling she said she wanted to hear from the parties involved. She said that she would rather see them reach a settlement through dialogue in closed hearings that she would mediate.
Judge Chu had summoned Government and teachers unions – ALS and BvL– to court on Friday, in a bid to mediate toward a settlement in their impasse.
The judge has instructed the unions to return to court on Monday, to report on whether their members accept it or not. The unions have meanwhile already sent out invitations to the meeting that is scheduled for 10:00am Saturday.
If the teachers accept the judge’s proposal, that could possibly also nullify a counter suit the unions have filed, in response to Government’s court case. While Government demanded a ruling of SR $100,000 for every hour the teachers do not return to work, ALS and BvL want SR $1 million for every hour that Government does not implement the raise they are warring over.
