Government to review proposal by Trade Unions

The Government says it will review, at the end of the June, the proposal by Trade Unions for one month’s tax-free salary to be paid to public sector workers to compensate them for not having received salary increases for the past three years.

A joint communiqué issued by Government, the St Vincent and the Grenadines Teachers Union (SVGTU), the Public Service Union (PSU), the Police Welfare Association (PWA) and the Commercial Technical and Allied Workers Union (CTAWU) said the proposal was discussed during a meeting held on April 24, 2015 at Cabinet Room.{{more}}

“The Hon Prime Minister gave a summary of the cost of the proposal estimates at $22.5 million and presented a summary of the fiscal out turn for the first quarter of 2015,” the communiqué, dated April 24, said.

According to the communiqué, the meeting was held in a “cordial atmosphere” and based on the discussions, the following two decisions were concluded: 1. The government is unable to commit to the proposal at this time without reducing expenditure on other areas such as social programmes and education. 2. The government would review the proposal at the end of the second quarter to determine the feasibility of honouring the proposal in part or in whole.

Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves signed the communiqué on behalf of the Government, while Oswald Robinson signed on behalf of the SVGTU; Aubrey Burgin – PSU; Garvie Thomas – PWA and Burns Bonadie on behalf of the CTAWU.