P.M. Lashes Out At Unions
Remember the Joint Negotiation Team that comprises of the Association of Public Service Senior Managers, the Public Service Union and the Belize National Teachers Union? For years the unions had been fighting for a comprehensive collective bargaining agreement that would see among other things, salary adjustments and increments provided to its membership. The government agreed to a six percent adjustment that came into effect on July first when public officers also received three percent increments. But there were other pending issues and since there has been no word, the media asked Barrow where the discussions currently stand. Barrow took the offensive and lashed out at the unions saying that the government has already been generous with public officers.
Reporter
“The CBA with the A.P.S.S.M., the P.S.U and the B.N.T.U., is it signed off on or it is still opened. They had indicated that you were curt, rude and they didn’t wish to sign off.”
Prime Minister Dean Barrow
Dean Barrow
“These people who say all that they have said in this shrill and strident way accuse me of being rude? My goodness, I won’t compare them to the earlier scenario that was outlined in terms of the P.U.P. and hypocrisy. I will not do that. I will say mainly that as far as I am concerned, the CBA process is at an end. They have gotten their six percent salary increase together with the three percent. Remember that next year; especially with the economy roaring along, they stand to get more because every year for three years, any increase revenue over the year before gives them a fifty percent cut of that revenue. So I think they have been extremely well-served by the CBA purpose. Apart from the actual salary increases, there are all these increases in the various allowances. I don’t consider anything outstanding. After they took to the airwaves and said all they had to say, I did make clear that of the issues they flagged—as being outstanding in their own minds—the one area in which there could possibly be some give is the question of health insurance. And I have said to them informally that I am prepared to make clear that it is a good idea and that government would be happy to fund it in the fullness of time when circumstances permit.”
Barrow says that he has a scheduled meeting with the Joint Negotiating Team on Thursday.
I think hell will freeze over but I actually agree with judas about the unions they are nothing but leaches a noose around the neck of the belizean economy all you union workers unu start to use unu head unu no need no union fu get we unu want nothing unu could get all these things unu self without have to the pay union fees this is just a way for some lazy people to make money off a unu head for doing things you can do for yourselves without any union they are but a noose around this countries neck.unions have killed many countries and cities just look at Greece, Argentina, the us especially like Detroit Chicago la New York Spain etc etc unions have left whole cities completely bankrupt and stagnant .
Di unions help udp into power so now time fi pay up pm. Di union can take udp outta power too so careful how you talk pm. At di end of di day all dem corrupt politrickcians teach di unions dem need fi dig fi more money cause everybody else di get rich and dem di get lef behind. Di country will suffer until politics get cleaner and di unions no got too much reason fi dig.