On Wednesday, May 28th, teachers across Belize staged a nationwide unofficial sickout following the Belize National Teachers Union’s (BNTU) rejection of the Government of Belize’s (GOB) latest proposal on salary adjustments. The sickout is part of escalating industrial action amid growing frustration within the education sector.
The government’s offer, aimed at averting further disruptions, includes a 3% salary increase effective October 1, 2025, and an additional increment at the start of the 2026–2027 fiscal year. These changes form part of a broader package responding to the union’s call for an 8.5% salary adjustment. However, the remaining 5.5% increase and a second frozen increment are contingent on future negotiations related to pension reform, cost-saving initiatives, and revenue enhancement measures.
In a letter issued by Deputy Prime Minister Cordel Hyde, the government also reaffirmed commitments under the 2021–2024 Collective Bargaining Agreement, including the disbursement of transfer grants and the planned increase in the minimum wage to $6 per hour, pending stakeholder consultation.
Additionally, the proposal outlines a new framework for future negotiations, incorporating discussions on a cost-of-living adjustment formula, income tax relief, land access, housing programs, educational scholarships, and union officer benefits. Despite these offers, the BNTU has rejected the proposal, describing it as “insufficient and disrespectful.”
In an interview, a BNTU member, who requested anonymity to avoid repercussions, explained the situation. “Unofficially, this is a sickout. Many teachers, from Corozal to Punta Gorda, including San Pedro, are out. The government needs to bend, because we definitely will not. It’s unfair that CEOs are receiving salary adjustments while we’ve gone without one for years. A 3% increase for most teachers amounts to only about $48 more per month. That doesn’t even cover basic meals.”
When asked about next steps, the teacher added, “Today is a sickout; tomorrow could be something else. We get the information the evening before. Yesterday we were informed today would be a sickout. Tomorrow, KHMH will be joining us.”
The Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital (KHMH) Workers Union has also signaled industrial action. In a letter dated May 28th to CEO Chandra Nisbet-Cansino, the union announced its members would wear “Gimme Mi Pension” T-shirts on May 29th as a peaceful show of protest over unresolved pension negotiations.
As of press time, the BNTU has not withdrawn its strike notice. “The strike is still on the table,” the union member confirmed. Demonstrations and sickouts are expected to continue until a satisfactory resolution is reached.
