NUPW lobbying continues
THE NATIONAL UNION of Public Workers (NUPW) is lobbying for an “adequate coping mechanism” for public servants.
However, NUPW’s President Akanni McDowall is making it clear that this new offer is separate from ongoing salary negotiations.
Following an NUPW executive, closed-door meeting at the Union’s Dalkeith, St Michael headquarters on Wednesday night, Treasurer Asokore Beckles said the executive will be sending a counter-proposal to the Ministry of Civil Service as early as yesterday, regarding the “coping mechanism” to make life easier for public servants.
For an extended period, the NUPW and other trade unions have been calling for the coping mechanism for public servants given the reality that they have not received a salary increase in several years.
Beckles explained that though the Union does not want to negotiate in public, the proposal will also be passed on to Prime Minister Freundel Stuart as early as possible.
“We sent in our proposal between January 2016. So as of next month this will be two years from when we sent in our first proposal, and as you know, it is between 2014 and 2016. Our members say the two years is long enough and they have set a deadline for negotiations to be completed and we have also sent this to the Ministry of Service,” Beckles said.
“The Prime Minister would have said that by the end of September he would have an idea as to the performance of the National Social Responsibility Levy, and we’ve heard the Minister of Finance [Christopher Sinckler] come out publicly and say that it is performing very well,” Beckles reminded.
Pushing for pay hike
Meanwhile, McDowall promised that the NUPW will continue to negotiate for a salary increase for members.
“The payment is a coping mechanism because the coping subsidy was in a different form. This is something that is being offered by Government in a slightly different form from what we were asking for.
“We understand the concept behind it, we understand the reason because we proposed those reasons, and therefore we are saying that we will give Government a counter-proposal so that we can meet the needs of our members,” McDowall said. (AH)