Unions Reject Government’s Latest Salary Increase Offer

Last night we told you of the second proposal presented to the joint unions via a letter from the government.  This second proposal essentially offers a four percent increase in October this year, followed by a four-point five percent increase in the next fiscal year.  There are several conditions in that proposal including the incorporation of contributory pension, and the increase of the retirement age.  Late this evening, the unions told the media that they were rejecting this second offer.  Here is BNTU’s President, Nadia Caliz.

Nadia Caliz, BNTU National President: ““It Is downright disrespectful. You’re offering us 4% with one hand and the other hand you’re talking about pension which the proposed rate is a 5% annually ? So it’s like you’re giving us nothing. Four and five when you do the math subtract there’s an additional 1% so we don’t count that at all. We believe that they need to consider the workers of this country and the fact that we’re told we can meet for clarity that we can’t even negotiate and then yet you’re talking that you’re acting in good faith ? We don’t view that as good faith. We view that as down right dictatorship and we live in a democratic country we are not tolerating that. We’re not accepting it. It’s an outright rejection and that’s the reason why the councils had to meet today because we cannot allow government to disrespect our workers like that. No.”