Union leaders sing union song after interview following JUNT meeting
“disrespectful” and “cunning,” said BNTU president, Nadia Martin-Caliz
BELIZE CITY, Fri. June 6, 2025
The Government’s 2nd counterproposal to the Joint Unions Negotiating Team (JUNT) was issued late Thursday when the union leaders were already antsy about the delay – they had asked for a response by Wednesday. When the letter came, they complained, including about the signatory, Minister of State, Christopher Coye. The first counterproposal had been signed by the lead for the Government’s negotiating team, Deputy Prime Minister Cordel Hyde; and Dean Flowers, president of the Public Service Union, felt the Government was demonstrating little regard for public officers with the signatory being switched to a Minister of State “who is not even accountable to the people of Belize; somebody who has proven that, rather than acting in the best interest of the country, he acts in the best interest of foreigners.”
Dean Flowers, President of the PSU
The union leaders met on Friday in Belize and after several hours of discussion, they announced their outright rejection of the proposal. The letter upped the salary-increase offer beginning October 2025 from 3% to 4%, with the remaining 4.5% being phased-in over two years, subject to the implementation of pension reform in two phases, mutual agreement on measures related to cost savings and revenue enhancement, along with appropriate measures that tie both salary increases and increments to satisfactory performance. However, the union leaders contend that, based on the wording of the letter, the entire salary increase proposal is now hinged on the conditions outlined. “Now everything is conditional,” said Sharon Frazer, the president of the Association of Public Service Senior Managers. She added, “When we proposed that eight percent, no pension reform was attached to that.” She argued that the 8.5% salary increase was based on an increasing cost of living and the inflation rate. She therefore deems the proposal to be “worse off.”
Nadia Martin-Caliz – National President, BNTU
BNTU president, Nadia Martin-Caliz had two words to describe the counterproposal: disrespectful and cunning. In her analysis, what the government is giving with one hand, it is taking back in even greater measure with the other. The government’s pension proposal includes a first phase of contributory pension for new employees, including the increase of the retirement age to 60 with effect from October 1, 2025; while the second phase would include a contributory pension scheme for existing workers as early as possible, taking into consideration the ongoing comprehensive salary review for the public service. According to Martin-Caliz, the pension rate is five percent annually.
Addressing the remarks of Financial Secretary Joseph Waight, that the Government may just have to increase taxes so it can afford the salary increase for public sector workers, Martin-Caliz called it a scare tactic for them to lose the public’s support. Martin-Caliz fired back, stating that teachers are already paying high taxes, and the people at the top pay very little. The unions support a system that would allow employees to pay income tax based on what they earn. She commented, “But they continue to ignore that. They give millions away to investors, and they expect this group of public officers and teachers to continue to sacrifice. And I understand the whole idea of fiscal incentives; but you don’t have to be giving every single thing away because a friend of yours will get a contract on the side. No …”
In her response to FinSec Waight, Martin-Caliz also reported hearing an allegation that it is the Government’s intention to turn the Belize Tax Service into a statutory body, and she expressed their rejection of such a move.
On the matter of the minimum wage increase to $6.00 that the JUNT had asked to be applied to the public service without delay, the Government in its 2nd counter proposal responded that the increase is a Plan Belize 2.0 commitment “to the Belizean people, and not to any specific category thereof.” As we previously reported, the PSU president clarified that their increase request was not meant to be applicable to the private sector.
The membership of the 3 different unions voted on the Government’s counterproposal over the weekend.
Was a warrant issued for the arrest of the BNTU National President?
Late Thursday afternoon, BNTU National President Nadia Martin-Caliz made her way to the office of the Commissioner of Police, Dr. Richard Rosado, in Belmopan. She was accompanied by the president of the PSU, Dean Flowers, attorney Arthur Saldivar and National Trade Union Congress of Belize senator, Glenfield Dennison. According to Martin-Caliz, a reliable source had informed her that there was a warrant out for her arrest. “And I wanted to know what did I do,” shared Martin-Caliz. In the meeting that she described as a good meeting, the union leader said she indicated to the Commissioner that she does not want anyone to think that “they’re just gonna grab me and do whatever they want with me because I’m the leader. I prize my freedom and so, the way I carry myself is because I’m mindful of that. But don’t be looking for things just to come at me, because there are so many in support of what the teachers are doing.” She appealed to authorities to allow them to operate “the way people ought to function in a democratic country.” She also pointed out that the teachers are asking for much less than what was outlined in the People’s United Party’s manifesto promise.
11 teachers charged, but charges have since been dropped
A day after teachers demonstrated on George Price Drive in Dangriga, using their vehicles to stop traffic, the police prepared charge sheets for 11 of them and summoned them to appear in court on Wednesday, June 11. However, BNTU National President, Nadia Martin-Caliz shared on Friday that their attorney notified her that the charges were being dropped.