And as it relates to the government's plan for pension reform, which is basically a contributory pension scheme, the unions say, that ain't gonna happen - at least not if they have their way.
The PSU president was adamant that they are not going to be contributing to that scheme, and added that the government has yet to give them the details:
Dean Flowers, President, PSU
"The joint union position in closing is that no public officer currently employed in the public service is to contribute to any pension fund, no teacher, no police officer, no coast guard - no public sector workers will contribute to any contributory pension fund and the ministry of finance needs to get that straight in their heads. So whenever it is that they rush the establishment of this pensions scheme which the prime minister informed that he wants to roll out by April 1, 2023, it must be aimed and geared at those who will come into the service thereafter, because as a leader we will ensure that nobody in this current public service contribute to such a scheme."
"Absolutely nothing has been presented to us in terms of how this scheme will look like, other than a talented prime minister informing us that he will effect a pension scheme effective April 1, 2023. We've not seen a plan, we've not seen what should be a report in terms of what would be the contribution from new public officers, because I am saying and I repeat no existing public officer will contribute to any pension scheme. That is our position. So we've have not seen anything. We don't know who will manage the fund, we don't know how the fund looks. All we know is that the prime minister said he wants a pension scheme in place April 1, 2023. How will he get to that? I guess he has not only a financial zye with him, but he probably have a magician somewhere in his office to ensure that that happens."
