Would a Staggered Ten Percent Salary Cut Work?

Sharon Frazer

Just before heading into even more meetings with her union members today, Chief Magistrate Sharon Frazer, President of the Association of Public Service Senior Managers, spoke with News Five. She says during last week’s meeting with Financial Secretary Joe Waight and Deputy Prime Minister Cordel Hyde, the Joint Unions suggested in their counter that salary reductions be staggered.  For his part, P.S.U. President Gerald Henry also pointed to government’s top-heavy management.

Sharon Frazer, President, A.P.S.S.M.

“It was more of us sharing additional things that the government could do before the consideration of salary cuts or the freezing of increments and thereafter it was if it leads to that.  That is after the consideration of everything else, then the issue was looking at how government could assist in lessening the burden if you were going to take away salaries from public officers.  I will tell you that one of the things that was put forward by both P.S.U. and A.P.S.S.M. was rather than a ten percent cross the top, that in fact maybe a staggered approach could be considered if we reach there because we are not yet conceding to any of that.  What would be the ultimate result would be after consultation and hopefully after some more discussions with representatives of government and ultimately what would come out of Ministry of Finance.”

Gerald Henry

Gerald Henry, President, P.S.U.

“We had our membership meeting on Saturday and we got, our numbers were high, not as we would have wanted it to be considering the topic that was being discussed.  Nonetheless, we went ahead and we encouraged those who are participating to be at the next meeting which is scheduled for a bit later on today.  But one of the things that we were also looking at is the fact that, as Sister Frazer mentioned a while ago, is the issue of the top heavy members of government, representatives and cabinet and so on.  And I recall a few years ago when ministers used to hold up to four different portfolios and now we look at today where, for example, the Ministry of Health is only Health and Wellness and that’s it.”