The joint unions have rejected two of GOB's proposals regarding their demands for an 8.5% salary adjustment. The first proposal began with a 3% adjustment in the next fiscal year, which would be followed by a phased increase and unfreezing of the increments over 3 years. But though the second offer proposed a 4% increase in the first instance starting this year, the unions say that it's worse than the first one. On Sunup on 7 this morning, they explained why their members voted overwhelmingly for industrial action.
Sharon Frazer, President, APSSM
"The next proposal was 4% October this year and 4.5% over the next two fiscal years, so nothing changed, still 3 years. But what is bad about this new proposal now is that everything, well the increment remain the same, but everything now was going to be tied to, and it said subject to, I must tell you the letter, the subject to, but put in bold letters, capital letters, subject to pension reform. They're saying new to get these, we have to agree to pension reform and the pension reform would have started October this year as well, so it's obviously a worse offer than the original and if it is we said we were going to accept that 4%, pension reform, the suggestion is that the contributory pension should be 5%. So if you give me 4, you will take back 5%."
Dean Flowers, President, PSU
"The general membership looked at the first offer and they rejected it, they looked at this offer and they rejected it and when we rejected the first offer, as the leader I was told we should have already declared and I said no, we're talking with government and that's what you do when you're negotiating, you're talking. So I didn't see it fit for me to do it at that time but when government sends me a letter that tells me negotiation is done, I could give you clarity if you want. Well, then I have to declare my trade dispute because clearly you're no longer prepared to talk and that's what I said to the membership and I placed that question to the membership, should we now proceed? And membership agreed for us to declare that trade dispute and therefore I expect that collectively they will accept responsibility for that decision. They will accept responsibility and they will yield to the call for increasing industrial action until government comes back to the table or gives us what we're asking for."
Nadia Caliz, President, BNTU
"Membership voted yesterday and more than 50% participated in that and the majority rejected the 4%, especially the fact that is is hinged on the pension reform of 5%. They're not in agreement at all. We have already issued our notice so we know that that is still in effect, it's just a matter of us carrying out that mandate. Now when that will be? I cannot tell you when that will be. When anything will be, I cannot tell you when it will be."
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