Big Changes for Teachers & Public Workers; Is GOB Giving in to Pressure?

The Briceño administration is rolling out a new set of reforms aimed at improving the lives of thousands of teachers and public officers across Belize. After a Cabinet meeting on May twentieth, the government announced several key decisions following fresh negotiations with the Joint Union Negotiating Team. One of the biggest changes is a new Collective Bargaining Agreement framework, which is expected to be in place by June eighteenth. Unions will have sixty days to respond with any counter proposals. As part of its Plan Belize 2.0 agenda, the government is also sticking to its promise to raise the minimum wage to six dollars, pending final consultations. Public officers can look forward to a three percent salary increase starting October first, 2025, with another bump coming at the start of the 2026–2027 fiscal year. However, discussions are still ongoing about restoring the remaining five-and-a-half percent in salary cuts and a second frozen increment, both tied to broader reforms in pensions, cost-saving measures, and boosting government revenue. In a major win for educators, the government will begin fully covering pension and gratuity payments for teachers in grant-aided schools starting this September. Looking ahead, the government says it wants to take a more rounded approach to negotiations, focusing not just on salaries but also on quality of life and productivity. Topics on the table include cost of living adjustments, tax relief, access to land and housing, education scholarships, and better union benefits. Deputy Prime Minister Cordel Hyde, who signed the official letter, emphasized the administration’s commitment to respectful and responsible dialogue with unions. Still, not everyone is ready to celebrate just yet. The Belize National Teachers Union is holding off on any decisions for now. Members were expected to vote later today on how to move forward after last week’s meeting with the government. With the government’s latest proposal, that vote has been put on hold, while the union goes over its details carefully.