The dispute between the Belize National Teachers Union (BNTU), the Public Service Union (PSU), the Association of Public Service Senior Managers (APSSM), and the Government of Belize (GOB)over the salary increase has intensified in recent weeks. Industrial action and public demonstrations have escalated, culminating last week with BNTU members taking to the highways, where they reported “mechanical failures” with their vehicles, which were parked to block main roads in Belmopan, Orange Walk, and Belize City during peak hours.
The joint unions have rejected two of GOB’s proposals in response to their demand for an 8.5% salary adjustment. The first proposal included a 3% raise for the next fiscal year, followed by a phased increase and the unfreezing of increments over three years. A second proposal offered a 4% raise starting this year, but unions say it is worse than the first. Teachers argue the revised offer fails to meet the full 8.5% salary adjustment and does not restore all increments frozen during the pandemic. The remaining 5.5% and a second increment are contingent upon future negotiations, pending pension reform and cost-saving measures, which the unions view as delay tactics.
In an interview with the media on June 10th, PSU President Dean Flowers shared his concerns. “The general membership looked at the first offer and they rejected it, they looked at this offer and they rejected it and when we rejected the first offer, as the leader I was told we should have already declared and I said no, we’re talking with government and that’s what you do when you’re negotiating, you’re talking. So I didn’t see it fit for me to do it at that time, but when the government sends me a letter that tells me the negotiation is done, I could give you clarity if you want. Well, then I have to declare my trade dispute because clearly you’re no longer prepared to talk and that’s what I said to the membership and I placed that question to the membership, should we now proceed? And membership agreed for us to declare that trade dispute, and therefore, I expect that collectively they will accept responsibility for that decision. They will accept responsibility and they will yield to the call for increasing industrial action until government comes back to the table or gives us what we’re asking for.”
APSSM President Sharon Frazer also added, “The next proposal was 4% in October this year and 4.5% over the next two fiscal years, so nothing changed, still 3 years. But what is bad about this new proposal now is that everything, well the increment remain the same, but everything now was going to be tied to, and it said subject to, I must tell you the letter, the subject to, but put in bold letters, capital letters, subject to pension reform. They’re saying new to get these, we have to agree to pension reform and the pension reform would have started October this year as well, so it’s obviously a worse offer than the original and if it is we said we were going to accept that 4%, pension reform, the suggestion is that the contributory pension should be 5%. So if you give me 4, you will take back 5%.”
On June 10th, BNTU President Nadia Caliz echoed the rejection: “Membership voted yesterday, June 9th, and more than 50% participated in that, and the majority rejected the 4%, especially the fact that it is hinged on the pension reform of 5%. They’re not in agreement at all. We have already issued our notice so we know that that is still in effect, it’s just a matter of us carrying out that mandate. Now when that will be? I cannot tell you when that will be. When anything will be, I cannot tell you when it will be.”
In an interview with The Sun on June 10th, a BNTU executive, who requested anonymity, revealed that the union will hold a meeting this week to determine its next steps. With the government’s latest proposal rejected and industrial action continuing, the standoff remains unresolved, leaving the education sector in a state of uncertainty as the school year draws to a close.
