JUNT/G.O.B. Meeting was a Cordial Discussion, Not Negotiation

Cordel Hyde

And while public officers were calling in sick, their union leaders and members of the Joint Union Negotiating Team met with government ministers inside the Marion Jones Sporting Complex conference room. The closed-door meeting was to discuss the three main issues of contention: increments, pension reform, and the collective bargaining agreement. Acting Prime Minister Cordel Hyde, Minister of Public Service Henry Charles Usher, and Minister of State for Finance Christopher Coye represented the government. The parties exited almost five hours later. As we found out, no negotiations took place, but rather a discussion – a cordial one, according to Acting P.M. Hyde.

Cordel Hyde, Acting Prime Minister

“We usually have very constructive meetings when we meet the unions – very cordial, very informative, very constructive. We discussed the main points and many under points that are very substantive and relevant to the main issues at hand. I think we left there feeling that we both have things in common and have issues that we need to take back to our relevant sides. And so I think they will meet back with their people and we will take back to cabinet whatever it is that we discussed and then we will meet again, I believe in the next two weeks, that’s March second I believe, the closest we could have met.”

Dean Flowers, President, Public Service Union

“The issue of increments, the issue of pension and public sector reform and of course the issue of the longstanding C.B.A. that we have not been able to settle.  I’d like to limit it by saying that the groundwork in terms of what’s the government’s position or perspective on these three issues are as well as the unions were afforded the opportunity to put forward what our joint membership position or proposals are in terms of how we should deal with these three matters.”