Antigua PM warns of layoffs if unions push for unrealistic wage increase
Published:Monday | May 1, 2023 | 6:51 PM
ST JOHN'S Antigua, CMC – Prime Minister Gaston Browne Monday warned of possible layoffs in the public service if trade unions continue to demand unrealistic higher wages for workers in Antigua and Barbuda.
“We know that there will be many challenges, but we will not be daunted by those challenges. We remain focused on transforming this country into an economic powerhouse,” Browne said, adding “but I say to you as workers that we must all gird our loins and join the battle, that there is no room for loafers and all must contribute.”
Addressing a Labour Day rally to mark the international day of workers, Browne said civil servants can be assured that his administration, which in 2018 gave a five per cent increase to workers, “we are committed to doing more than five per cent.
“We are about to conclude those negotiations and I am absolutely sure that at the end of the day when we would have resolved the issues…that we would be able to maintain the positive parity for workers.”
He said this was being done “amid very difficult circumstances” brought on by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
“We could have said to public sector workers because of the devastating effects of COVID that we do not have the capacity to give an increase. There are many countries that have taken that position, but we are a work organisation and we recognise that we must go the extra mile to improve the lot of workers in this country.
“But I ask our workers to be reasonable. I ask you to engage us constructively because we are not taking the position that we are not giving increases. The issue is how much and again we ask you to be reasonable.
“Because if you ask or make demands that are unreasonable that's beyond the means of the government it will be self-defeating because you will force the government to retrench. On the other and it could be inflationary in that if prices increase too soon and by too large an amount it could increase prices and that again will be self-defeating.”
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