NUPW president hopes budget eases cost-of-living pressure on workers

President of the National Union of Public Workers (NUPW), Kimberley Agard says she hopes the upcoming national budget will introduce measures to ease the cost of living and improve working conditions for public sector employees.

Speaking to the media on the sidelines of the union’s Health and Wellness Day event at its headquarters on Monday, Agard said that while salary negotiations between the union and the Government of Barbados are currently underway, broader action is also needed to help workers manage rising expenses.

“Today’s budget, we would like to see policies that would generally improve the conditions of the workers, the public sector workers. That is our main focus,” Agard said. 

“However, we would like to see things put in place that would ease the cost of living and the burden thereof.”

She added that while wage discussions are taking place, government initiatives that directly reduce financial pressure on households would also be welcomed. 

“We know that we are about to enter salary negotiations, but however, if the initiative can be taken from the government to put things in place to ease the cost of living, at ease the conditions that persons operating within the country, for sure we would welcome any such initiatives or policies,” she said.

The national budget is scheduled to be presented in the House of Assembly later today, outlining government’s fiscal policies and spending priorities for the coming year.