The leadership of the joint unions had a four hour meeting with a senior group of government ministers yesterday in Belize city. Principally, they're demanding a wage increase and an unfreezing of increments. Last night you saw what they said coming out of that meeting. And tonight they will have virtual membership meetings. But, in the interim, the Teachers Union has put government on the back foot by today giving the government 21 days notice of strike action. This is likely a tactic to increase the pressure on government even as negotiations continue - but with the school year also drawing rapidly to a close - that leverage can only last for so long.
The notice letter says, quote "The grounds for such Industrial Action is to express our disappointment and dissatisfaction with the Government's refusal to consider the Joint Unions' request for a salary adjustment to provide much needed relief from the burden of the current high cost of living.
BNTU therefore demands that negotiations continue in an effort to find workable and reasonable solutions to the current economic crisis being faced by our members." End quote.
