Are Negotiations with Joint Unions Down to the Wire?

Cabinet met today in ordinary session where recent counterproposals from the joint unions were carefully reviewed ahead of Friday’s budget presentation.  Today’s meeting came hard on the heels of negotiations with the Association of Public Service Senior Managers, the Belize National Teachers Union and the Public Service Union that ended Monday. The Briceño administration continues to discuss with teachers and public officers a proposed ten percent wage cut and a three-year increment freeze amid the debilitating economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. On April ninth, government will present a financial plan for the next twelve months which many believe will reflect a ten percent salary reduction. This morning, B.N.T.U. President Elena Smith provided an update on the round of meetings that were held over the Easter weekend.

Elena Smith, President, BNTU

Elena Smith

“What has transpired over the last week or so, we have been having meetings with our membership, three unions, consulting and informing them.  Over the weekend, the joint unions met to cement our position based on the surveys that we had done individually and then yesterday we met with the government side to have discussions on that.  From our end, what we did was to present exactly what government had given us as proposals, you know, all of those areas and we explained to members what those meant, the reasoning behind those proposals and then for them to then go back with that information and to be able to then respond to the survey based on having been informed about those proposals. It is frustrating, especially noting that some of these matters are things that our members feel would assist them if it is that they must suffer this cut.  And so, when it is that you feel that you are putting forward something that could be accepted, at least by the majority, and that would benefit the majority and, you know, those are not looked at thoroughly then it makes you feel as if though we are not serious about what it is that we are looking at.”