And the PSU president says the Government has refused to meet with his union to discuss this and many other issues. But, the PM did meet today with the joint unions.
That's because the agreement between the two parties was to review GOB's finances every six months to see if it was possible to remove the 10% pay cut that public officers and teachers are currently living with.
The PM said they would make a presentation to the joint unions, but added that it's a shame that the PSU president, Dean Flowers, is always on the offensive rather than simply working with the government.
Hon. John Briceno, Prime Minister
"We will be meeting with the unions today along with the social partners. We are going to make a presentation on the financial position of the government and how we have done over the first 6 months of the financial year. So we are going to be making that presentation today, it's unfortunate that the president of the union feels that he has to be attacking the government over everything as oppose to try to be a partner with us and to be able to work together. We are partners in this. We can't do without them and they can't do without us, so we are joined at the hip. It's unfortunate that everything is a fight for him. I guess its a political matter for him, I imagine, but we do respect the unions and we want to work with them. We will be meeting with them and our social partners today at 9am, we are going to be making a presentation and we are going to be listening to them at whatever recommendations they have and criticisms and we are going to take it all in good faith."
The members from the government's side included PM Briceno, DPM Cordel Hyde, Minister Francis Fonseca and Minister Henry Charles Usher - and we'll be following up with the NTUCB to hear what was the outcome.
