And while the independent senator is expected to come out against the elected senate, the National Teacher's Union and the Public Service Union have outright rejected government's proposal for a pay raise. Now, it's not everyday that a union rejects a pay raise, but there's no mistaking this one! A joint release from the PSU and BNTU says that they are, "very concerned at the unilateral decision by Cabinet to approve salary increases...without first meeting and discussing (it) with our unions..." And because of that, the unions call the proposal - for a raise, mind you, to be, "grossly disrespectful, irresponsible...union busting and an act of bad faith." A scathing rebuke, but there's some background to it. The unions have been asking for meetings to discuss the wage freeze and claim that only one meeting has gone through and they've been waiting for word of a follow up.
And, the unions are also angry about government's decision to invite commonwealth monitors to act as election observers. The unions view this with distrust because normally the opposition or civil society would make such a request. And while the Prime Minister knows he's no favorite of the union leadership, at a press conference this afternoon he made it clear that his proposed increment is directly targeting their memberships.
Rt. Hon. Said Musa,
"I don't know if the unions don't want a raise of pay but I know the teachers want it."
