P.S.U. Demands 7.5 Percent Salary Increase for Public Officers

In the statement, the Public Service Union also estimated that the three increments owed to public servants by the government are equivalent to a seven-point-five percent salary adjustment.  P.S.U. demands that the government make this adjustment, further estimating that approximately forty percent of public servants earn less than twenty thousand dollars annually. P.S.U. President, Dean Flowers elaborates on these demands.

 

Dean Flowers, President, Public Service Union

“Our calculation shows that the increases especially where the Cab Sec is concerned overs around fifteen percent We’re asking for half of that. We’re asking for a salary adjustment of seven point five percent  and we’re not asking in the sense of begging for consideration, we’re saying to the government of Belize, whether it was under the UDP, whether it is under the PUP, you have withheld a minimum of sevent point five percent salary from public offices. So we’re demanding that seven point a half percent. We’re not asking to enter into negotiation for over seven point a half percent. We’re saying if you can give your CEO caucus and your cabinet secretary and by extension yourself, because there is no way any minister will continue to sit and watch the CEOs earn more than them. That’s foolish for one of us to think that the ministers will not get an equivalent salary adjustment. And so we’re saying, look, give us what we deserve and what you’ve withheld from us, our seven point a half percent, and that’s non-negotiable. We’re also saying in 2024, we signed our CBA. Our CBA was made effective 2021. We’ve had this conversation with the Ministry of Public Service to see you transferred persons up until 2024 at the rate of $one thousand two hundred  in transfer grants. The CBA says, and the CBA is a legally binding document, and it again. It is for public officers to decide whether they wish to sue the government for these monies with interest included. And I want to take advantage one time and say, including those persons who are indebted at their income tax return, you have the right to sue with interest. So we’re saying to the government, we want you to  pay those retro payments from 2021 to all public officers who were transferred that difference of three hundred dollars.”