The Barbados government reached an agreement with public sector trade unions resulting in workers getting a one-off payment of BDS $1 500 (One Barbados dollar = 50 U.S. cents) as well as a six per cent salary increase over the next two years and a 16 per cent hike in allowances up to 2025.
Under the agreement, which was reached on Tuesday following four rounds of negotiations, chaired by Director General in the Ministry of the Public Service Penelope Linton, there will also be a regrading and job evaluation exercise across the public service this year and a committee set up to address employee grievances.
The National Union of Public Workers (NUPW), which represents the largest number of public sector employees, welcomed the settlement as reasonable, while the Congress of Trade Unions and Staff Associations of Barbados (CTUSAB) described the negotiations as successful based on the principle of “give and take”.
NUPW general secretary, Richard Greene, told reporters that “the agreement entails a BDS$1 500 lump sum payment that is tax-free that will only include National Insurance deductions to maintain the pension entitlement, and that would be for the year 2022.
He said the pay increase will be three per cent in 2023-2024 and for the year 2024-2025, three per cent.
In a statement, the Ministry of Public Service said that they will be given to “all persons who at March 31 of this year will have been working in the Public Service and in State Owned Enterprises (SOEs) that are dependent on central Government for recurring financial support.
“Those State Owned Enterprises not relying on central government for their recurring financial support will be encouraged to conclude any outstanding salaries and wages negotiations in short order,” it added.
Greene said that during the talks to reach a settlement, the union acted on the mandate given by its members “to be firm but reasonable and look at all options available to get the best possible deal to bring back some parity between the increase in the cost of living and increases in the wages and salaries”.
Describing the negotiations as cordial and frank, he said the Central Bank of Barbados and the Ministry of Finance had outlined the “true extent of the Barbados economy and the NUPW, being a responsible union, took into account all of the factors and pressed hard for a settlement that was going to bring some ease to the burden of the cost of living on members”.
CTUSAB president, Edwin O’Neal, said that in negotiations it is not always practical to get everything demanded.
“We understand the process of negotiations. You are not always going to get all that you want but it is a process in which both sides should participate, and it will be a give-and-take situation. If that is the definition or aspect of negotiations, then the negotiations were successful based on the principle of give and take.”
CMC/
