Government and trade unions have reached a deal that will see public sector workers getting a one-off payment of $1 500, a six per cent salary increase over the next two years and a 16 per cent hike in allowances up to 2025.Under the agreement, there will also be a regrading and job evaluation exercise across the public service this year and a committee set up to address employee grievances.The deal was reached on Tuesday at the end of four rounds of talks chaired by Director General in the Ministry of the Public Service Penelope Linton.The National Union of Public Workers (NUPW), which represents the largest number of public sector employees, welcomed the settlement as reasonable, while the Congress of Trade Unions and Staff Associations of Barbados (CTUSAB) described the negotiations as successful based on the principle of “give and take”.“The agreement entails a $1 500 lump sum payment that is tax-free that will only include National Insurance deductions to maintain the pensio
NURSE aides from across the country are up in arms with the Health ministry, after they were denied COVID-19 allowances paid to other health professionals.
Get the Apps CTUSAB backs hazard pay for all in health care, calls for talks
Article by January 30, 2021
The Congress of Trade Unions and Staff Association (CTUSAB) has thrown its support behind hazard pay for health care workers, suggesting that while frontline workers are likely to be the first to receive the payment in the current environment, discussions must now be held to extend the payment to others.
Hazard pay concerns came to the fore in recent weeks as nurses at several health care facilities staged work stoppages to demand the allowance, which has been made to employees at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital.