_{PSU members join President Dean Flowers to deliver strike action notice at Ministry of Labour in Belmopan}

Stann Creek teachers hold massive motorcade while PSU president pushes back against ComPol’s comments about involvement in investigation

_{Teachers participate in “victory through unity” motorcade in Dangriga}

BELIZE CITY, Thurs. June 12, 2025

On Tuesday, a little less than 100 public officers who are members of the Public Service Union (PSU) joined their president, Dean Flowers, in walking to the Ministry of Labour in Belmopan to hand-deliver a declaration that a trade dispute exists between the Government and the union. They were joined in solidarity by Nadia Martin-Caliz, the National President of the Belize National Teachers’ Union (BNTU). The notice starts a countdown of 21 days toward strike action, and follows the Government’s 2nd counterproposal on salary increases that was issued on June 5. Over the weekend, 94.35% of the PSU’s membership rejected Government’s offer of a 4% salary increase in October 2025 with the remaining 4.5% being phased in over two years, which would hinge on conditions such as pension reform and satisfactory performance appraisal, as well as on mutual agreement on measures related to cost savings and revenue enhancement. In total, 91.94% of the PSU’s members who voted supported the declaration of a trade dispute on June 10.

_{Dean Flowers, President, PSU}

Police accompanied the union members on the peaceful walk, but the Ministry’s compound was also heavily guarded by police. Before entering the compound, Flowers addressed his membership. He said, “Comrades, thanks this morning for showing up and showing out. When this union acts, it is on your mandate, and today you showed that you can put your feet where your mouth is.” He warned that their actions going forward will be strategically aimed at having an effect on the government. He announced that they will be calling on members in strategic areas to “start bringing down the pain on this administration”. “And while we will not be advocating for any violence, we need to ensure that the disruption that we can create, and that we will create if we are not listened to, it will reach the ears of the Prime Minister and his team who are taking us for cunumunu while they continue to benefit from our labour,” he said.

_{PSU President Dean Flowers walking into Ministry of Labour compound in Belmopan}

On exiting the Ministry, Flowers stated that the Minister, Florencio Marin, Jr., will be making an assessment before determining whether he views the dispute as legitimate, but that during the 21 days, the union will continue to advocate for fair salaries and for the Government to return to the negotiating table. He said he expects that the Minister will write back to request that they consider not engaging in any industrial action to aggravate the situation. Flowers noted that it would be the membership who will decide on this, as he highlighted inequities being upheld by “a neoliberal government, a government that is capital driven.” According to Flowers, the Government leaders could not survive on the current minimum wage or the salaries of the public sector workers, at the same time that it is “investing millions of dollars, as we speak, in vehicles … now we have luxury F150 pick-up trucks, luxury Tacomas.” Flowers noted that a payment was just made on Monday for a new vehicle in the Ministry of Transportation. He called on the public to pay attention to the proposed PPP in the bus industry to ensure it is not another “come up.”

On Wednesday, the Joint Unions Negotiating Team (JUNT) formally rejected the Government’s 2nd counterproposal and doubled down on its request for an 8.5% salary increase. The union leaders first expressed deep concern that the offer is “entirely undermined by the condition that it be tied to the implementation of a contributory pension scheme by October 1, 2025.” The JUNT is emphasizing that the proposed pension scheme “has not been negotiated, lacks any clear administrative or legal framework, and would be unconstitutional …” The unions affirm that to tie a salary adjustment to an undefined pension scheme is premature “but also a significant act of bad faith.” They also have noted that the condition would erode the value of a 4% increase and actually lead to less take-home pay for teachers and public officers. They contend that to present this as a benefit is disingenuous. The JUNT is calling on the Government to return to the negotiating table “with a proposal that is lawful, transparent, and genuinely aimed at improving the livelihoods of public officers, teachers, not one that shifts the burden back onto them under the guise of reform.” The unions are also asking the government to provide definitive effective dates for any future salary adjustment and increment proposals.

As it relates to the minimum wage increase to $6.00 for public sector workers, the JUNT has indicated to the Government that it will not interfere with its politicking on the matter by tying it to Plan Belize 2.0 commitments. The JUNT has instead increased its request for a minimum of $7.00 for public sector workers or that alternately, they be placed on a pay scale. The unions have stated that the party’s politicking is “a calculated distraction from failures like unregulated tax concessions, tax breaks, deregulation, and soaring executives’ pay.” “You’re selling crumbs as a feast,” they said.

Last night, the Stann Creek branch of the BNTU held a “victory through unity motorcade” which had significant participation, with the lines of vehicles extending for several blocks. It was a vivid display of solidarity and support for the teachers’ cause. The motorcade started and ended at the Drums of Our Fathers Monument.

Notably, Martin-Caliz has warned that since classes are now winding down, nothing prevents them from taking action at the start of the new school year if their demands are not met. She also reported earlier this week that they had reviewed the minutes of the meeting when the first frozen increment was discussed under the Barrow Administration. She stated that the agreement was that the increment would be reinstated on retirement, or, if the economy improved, they could bring it back for discussion. The Government’s negotiating team had stated that the unions agreed to forego the increment.

Notably, the three utility workers unions have now expressed support for the BNTU. In a joint statement on Wednesday, the energy, water services and communications workers unions stated that the teachers have been pushed to protest in pursuit of long overdue justice in the face of increased inflation and a broader systematic disparity in the treatment of workers. They wrote, “This state of affairs contradicts the promises made to the Belizean electorate during successive political campaigns and undermines the principle of equity in governance. As unions representing workers who provide critical and essential services to the nation, we recognize and affirm the pivotal role that teachers play in the development of our society. We maintain that teachers must be adequately and fairly compensated for their labour, and we acknowledge that any reasonable improvement in their remuneration constitutes a sound public investment.” The utility unions then called for negotiations to resume in good faith, and said they will continue to monitor progress.

Dean Flowers pushes back against ComPol’s insinuation

During Tuesday’s peaceful march in Belmopan, the media asked PSU president, Dean Flowers about the comment by the Police Commissioner earlier this week that his phone number is being investigated in connection with a high-profile case involving public officers. Flowers declared that the ComPol, “does not have an iota of proof linking 600-5110 or 615-3110 to any investigation since the declaration of self-government since 1964. And, as I stated, he, in his anger and in his emotion and in his failure to appreciate that what I was doing was simply saying to him, your strategy must be much more effective. You cannot govern and rule based on fear, which is what in my view, the Police Department attempted to do in Dangriga, instill fear. It is no secret that the state has weaponized legislation against its citizens, primarily black men.”

When asked if he heard of the report that a union leader was detained in connection with the investigation regarding the importation of drugs via shipments confiscated by Customs, Flowers responded, “I didn’t see any such report, and so I do not wish to comment on something that I’m not aware of. To the best of my knowledge, no union leader was detained. None can and will be detained.” He then stated it would be prudent for the investigating officers to properly brief the Commissioner, and for the Commissioner to give a press conference to tell the public where they are with that investigation. He then defended his character and stated, “I’ve walked a straight road, especially when I took up this leadership, and I will not allow anybody to try to throw low blows, shade on my character. I will not allow it. It will not work with Dean Flowers. Dean Flowers is a man of his word. That’s all I got: my word. And when I choose to lead people and defend their rights and the rights of their children … because what we do, we’re fighting for good governance… I will not compromise myself. And so, as I stated, I know that this matter will be drawn out, and he will have to respond; but I encourage him to be very careful because his investigating officers are on record disassociating whatever number he’s talking about.”

We note that personal attacks are now being waged against Flowers via political ads. The president of the Association of Public Service Senior Managers, Sharon Fraser, condemned this move. However, Flowers affirmed that he will remain focused on the goal, and said that while the PUP government, in its previous administration, greatly accommodated the private sector, they, the public sector workers, “have now come for ours.”