The government has missed the June 2015 deadline for the review of a proposal by public sector trade unions for a one-time payment of one month’s salary to public service workers in the absence of a salary increase for 2011 to 2014.
“No. That review has not been done with them yet,” Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Ralph Gonsalves told reporters on Tuesday, but promised that it will be done before the end of this month.
“The situation — one of the reasons why we said we have to do this is that — look, I respect unions, I respect the workers representatives. In fact, I represent more workers than the unions themselves, so I have to respect workers’ representatives,” Gonsalves said.
He, however, noted that the proposal will cost around EC$25 million, adding, “It may sound, on the face of it, that rather than getting an increase for each of the years, just give a one month.”
Gonsalves said that the unions had initially suggested in December 2014 that workers at a certain level be given half month’s pay and other’s a month’s pay.
He said he told the unions in the discussions that the proposal was a “back-of-the-envelope” one
“When they came, when they send the letter subsequently, it was for everybody. But once you do it, you have to take into account not just the salary but what you have to pay additionally for the NIS payments, the pensions payments, which would follow as a consequence of those increases.
“So that’s why the figure comes up to 25 million dollars,” Gonsalves said.
“It’s a huge sum … I would expect before the end of this month I’ll have a meeting with them (union),” Gonsalves told reporters.
He doesn’t have $25 million, it will have to come from PetroCaribe, that will be a problem because every cent available from PetroCaribe is going into the airport at Argyle. He is not going to Jeopardise the airport being finished for a few scampish Union leaders as he might put it in his own mind..
Peter,
It’ s one thing to sit their and hide behind a computer screen, and write rubbish.
Now, If you think you can do a better job than Mr. Gonsalves then you put up ,or shut up !
Thats right Peter, the ULP will finish the airport indeed
Just another sign that this is a hand-to-mouth government. Greece, anyone?
What , do you think you can do any better ?
How come the trade unions have not started to block the roads yet like in 2001?How come Mrs Gittens-Gilkes and the other nurses have not thrown down their medical apparatus and hit the road?What is Mr Oswald Robinson and the 1700 teachers doing?It is strange how the table has turn eh.If this was Mr Arnhim Eaustace a lot of you would have already nailed him to the cross.Watch a country eh.
Peter G listen to a song by cro cro name Its amazing how people does change, there lies the answers to your questions. Also Black man you asked for dat. youtube.
I have to hide behind a computer and write because a dictator is running the country and we all know what dictators do to people who criticize them.I cant run the country because am not bright like you and Ralph Gonsalves neither did I do any studies in how to use and manipulate black people.Am however sure that I will do a better job than people like you because what you post on Kenton Chance website deserves to go in the toilet.