And so - what will happen on April 1st, when the fiscal year starts and the government doesn't restore the increments?
Well, the unions say you'll have to wait and find out. But one thing's for sure - they say they won't be the fool on All Fool's Day.
Elena Smith, President, BNTU
"A good warrior never gives out his secret, but I will tell you from now, you know what day is April 1st? We will not wait for All Fools Day. That's not a day when you pretend to fool somebody. If you are going to do something, you do it. I think you al have seen us. You know how we operate. When you see us coming and we are starting these things it should signalled something to you. That's all I will say."
Dean Flowers, President, PSU
"I want to add that over the last 3 weeks I've had the pleasure of visiting public officers across this country. It was a comprehensive tour and I think that it was a successful tour to reason with them on these issues. So much so that I am forced to go back to Dangriga next week and Centra; Farm on Friday, because we want to ensure that we reach each and every public officer across this country and the resonating question coming out of those consultation is president, when? When? I think that we've learned from 2021, we are in a worse financial position as public officers and as a country. Even though a lot of numbers that means little to our quality of life is being thrown around by the prime minister and his team and as sister Elena said, we are guided by our members and we have not said a single word as it relates to industrial actions, but our public officers are asking us when will we make that stance and this is the first step that we're taking today and thereafter we will move to step number2, 3 and hopefully not step number 4. Step number 3 might be that the government calls us to the table. We are still waiting to be called to this table."
