PM Directs Swift Conclusion Of Salary Negotiations With Trade Unions
Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar SC has directed that negotiations with trade unions be concluded as quickly as possible, paving the way for the settlement of outstanding salary agreements, including the proposed 10% salary increase for public servants.
The announcement was made by Minister of Planning, Economic Affairs and Development and Minister in the Ministry of Finance, Dr Kennedy Swaratsingh, during his contribution to the Budget Debate in the Senate on Monday.
« We chose settlement over stagnation, and we choose to place dignity, economic security, and contribution of workers back at the centre of national development where it rightfully belongs. The 10% salary increase is therefore more than a numerical adjustment; it is a statement of this government’s philosophy that those who keep the machinery of State functioning must share fairly in the progress of the nation. The Ministry of Finance has therefore been instructed by the Honourable Prime Minister to bring the necessary provisions to have negotiations with the main bargaining units concluded immediately. »
