Unions to decide on new salary increase offer

BELMOPAN (CMC):

The Joint Unions Negotiating Team (JUNT) says it is will meet to discuss the latest wage offer from the government for public sector workers in Belize.

The government is now offering a 4.5 per cent salary increase, starting this October, with another four per cent to follow in 2026. In addition, the government said that two long-frozen increments could be paid out in April 2026 and the following year.

The JUNT is seeking an 8.5 per cent salary adjustment for public officers, teachers, and pensioners and an additional increase in the minimum wage for public sector workers from five to six dollars (one Belize dollar=US$0.49 cents).

The JUNT and the government negotiating team met for five hours on Thursday, and Deputy Prime Minister Cordel Hyde told reporters that he believes the new offer from the John Briceno government, that had maintained that this is not an achievable request to meet in this fiscal year, is fair.

“We had a great discussion. I don’t want to prejudice what they have to do when they have to go back to their membership. But it is suffice to say that the government has committed to eight and a half per cent from the get-go.

“We have committed to it, along with the frozen increments over the next two years, and so there are other stuff. Hopefully they are able to get their membership to support and we reach pass this impasse,” Hyde said.

He added that the 4.5 per cent offer this year “is more than half of the original request” and that “it is not tied in the sense that you have to do this to get this, but it is about ensuring we continue that work.

“We have three committees – cost saving committee, revenue enhancement and pension reform. Those committees have been working. That work continues. It is about ensuring we continue that work in earnest,” Hyde said, adding “we are hoping the membership will see that we have delivered on their demands, that we are doing our best”.

President of the Public Service Union (PSU), Dean Flowers, said “as usual, we want to acknowledge the continued good faith discussions by the government team.

“I only have one vote in the PSU, so it is not whether I am amenable, it is whether my members are amenable. The government did what it had committed to. It submitted another counter proposal. I am hoping that matter will be proposed to my membership at the very earliest.”

Asked whether he believes the union membership will accept the offer, Flowers said “I don’t know what my membership will accept. The context has to be discussed.