Public servants in Barbados deserve a salary increase and general secretary of the National Union of Public Workers (NUPW) Richard Green believes now is the perfect time.
While Green did not specify the figure the NUPW – the island’s largest public sector union – would be going after, he told Barbados TODAY the issue was a pressing one that had caught the attention of the union’s Executive Committee and National Council.
His comments have come just one week after the umbrella body, the Congress of Trade Unions and Staff Associations (CTUSAB) called for a salary review in the public sector.
Green said in light of the increased cost of living workers deserved a salary hike to allow them to live comfortably.
Public servants last received a five per cent salary increase in 2018.
“The NUPW historically has always made reasonable requests for raises of pay for public officers. At this time we find it a reasonable request to consider a raise in pay for public officers based on the very noticeable rise in the cost of basic goods and services. This is something we think can be considered. If not a raise of pay a consideration can also be given for some cost of living allowance for public officers,” Green said.
“While some would have argued that because there were no significant layoffs in the public sector during the pandemic as justification for unions not seeking pay increases, equally workers can argue that they worked to maintain good governance and order during the pandemic. If we look at the workers in the protective services and healthcare and those who work in administration, they worked under very challenging circumstances and conditions to maintain good governance, economic and social stability.”
Green explained that before a final decision could be made on what percentage the pay hike should be he would first have to meet with the NUPW’s executive.
He however gave the assurance that it was high on the NUPW’s agenda and they would be moving swiftly to address it.
“When it comes to an actual figure, as general secretary I cannot make that call alone, it has to go to National Council in terms of determining the figures we would ask for relative to pay increases for public officers so unfortunately, I can’t say that at this time.
“But we will be looking at it very soon. I don’t want to say days or weeks, but what I can tell you is that it has caught the attention of the members, it has caught the attention of our Executive Committee and our National Council and especially in light of what has been happening recently with the crisis in Russia and Ukraine we are seeing the dramatic increase in the prices of goods and services and in particular obviously fuel and basic food items,” Green pointed out.
randybennett@barbadostoday.bb
