As "Fin Sec" Barnett led a round of meetings today with representatives of the BNTU and the PSU.
The meeting was held this afternoon in the Cabinet room and it had representation from the union executives as they went head to head with ministers of government's finance committee comprising Prime Minister Said Musa, his Deputy John Briceno, and Ministers Ralph and Francis Fonseca, Jose Coye, Mark Espat and Eamon Courtenay. Barnett laid out an outline of government's fiscal consolidation program while the Prime Minister made a pitch for the unions' support in the effort.
Of course, cost cutting could mean that government may be forced to cancel the 5% and 8% increase it promised to teachers and public servants. As we understand it from union sources, this was brought up in the meeting and the prime minister would not make or restate a commitment to the wage increase.
Also discussed at the meeting was raising the retirement age to 60 years old, and discontinuing government's non contributory pension scheme. The unions have asked for these proposals in writing and will then take them to its membership for decision.