Members of the National Council of the National Union of Public Workers (NUPW) met yesterday morning to come to a consensus in relation to pay talks, which have been ongoing with the new Mia Mottley led administration.
After talks about a salary increase for public servants or even a coping subsidy broke down with the former Democratic Labour Party administration, there was a promise that a new Barbados Labour Party government would seek to negotiate a new public sector salaries and wages hike.
Yesterday’s NUPW council meeting was held so that members could settle on a new proposal for a salary increase for civil servants and President Akanni McDowall, whilst not giving out too much information on what the Union is now proposing, stressed that the majority of council members agreed with the proposal.
“We came up with a decision where we would look favourably on the proposal sent to us by the Government. So it is now up to the Government to agree with what the Union is proposing, but once the Government agrees, public servants should be a little happier. We don’t want to share those details about the proposal until Government agrees to exactly what we are discussing, because technically speaking we are still negotiating. So once Government accepts what the Union has suggested, which is in line with what they are suggesting, then everything should be OK,” McDowall commented.
Last week, following the second meeting of the Social Partnership chaired by Prime Minister Mia Mottley, McDowall revealed that issues surrounding the public service were frankly discussed and the benefits that public servants should receive was also a matter for discussion. He was optimistic then that the Union would be able to strike a deal with government on the pay hike. He has meanwhile noted that the Union will make a public statement on the matter when the time comes.