Union Leaders Call Talks Government Reps Cordial

The union leaders emerged from the ITVET shortly after our interview with DPM Hyde.  The leaders were interviewed jointly with PSU’s Dean Flowers, leading the charge. They all agreed that the meeting was cordial and that they are appreciative of the government’s will to continue in negotiations.

Nadia Caliz, President, BNTU: “You have to remember when they gave us four they wanted to give us the next 4.5 in two years. Sorry, in three years, two more years. So now we’re looking at a two-year proposal. One year, 4.5, the other year, four. They wanted to take 4.5 and divide that into two years. So it means that we were dealing with this 2025, 2026, 2027, and we don’t want that.”

Reporter: And the increments, when will those be proposed to be unfrozen? 

Nadia Caliz, President, BNTU: “ Again, two years again. One, 1st of April, 2026, and the second one, 1st of April, 2027. So everything is within the two years time frame now, no longer three years. They are giving us 8.5 whether it is 4.5 and 4 because as you said that’s what he said to you right? I thought we had agreed that we were going to take it to our membership and then let them decide from there but since the government side went ahead and put it out there publicly that again is a decision for our members to decide and it’s important for them to decide that. Not us. I’m just like Brother Dean we only have one vote. For me it’s up to the membership. It is key because we are lobbying on their behalf. It’s up to them. They did not budget for it. And so what they’re doing is that they presented a plan that they believe that they can afford during this time between this year and next year. And it’s up to them to decide if they want to accept that.”

Dean Flowers, President, PSU: “I only have one vote in the PSU so it’s not whether or not I’m amenable, but it’s more so whether my membership will be amenable. But the government did as they had committed to and submitted another counter proposal and that matter I’m hoping will be presented to our membership at the very earliest. I don’t know what my membership will accept. I think the context in which the proposal was submitted has to be discussed.”

Reporter: What is that context? 

Dean Flowers, President, PSU: “The context, if that is what the DPM said, then he would have told you exactly whether it would have been a straight black and white proposal. But it’s an improved proposal. It’s an improved proposal and it’s a proposal that our membership will be, that we will present to our membership and we hope that we can break the impasse.”

The union leaders will not take Proposal Number Three to their membership and is expected to give the government a response in the coming days.