The Dominica Public Service Union says it is seeking a 15 percent salary increase for its members over three years. General secretary Thomas Letang told a meeting of the union’s membership that “we have looked at the rate of inflation… and we are proposing to the government that for the 2021-22 financial year that public officers be paid a four percent salary increase.
“For the year 2022-23, we are proposing a five percent salary increase [and] for the year 2023-24, your executive is proposing a six percent salary increase.
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“So in all, brothers and sisters, we are proposing a total of 15 percent salary increase over a three-year period. We will be told that the government embarked on a re-classification exercise, we have always said to you that a re-classification exercise, especially one where large groups of public officers are disadvantaged, is not a salary increase.
“So when we decide brothers and sisters to stand and to send that message that we want a salary increase and we want something that is reasonable and fair, my expectation is that whatever dream that you now have, will become a reality.”
Letang said members should also stand in solidarity with workers at two state-owned entities, where in one case the employees have not received a salary increase for decades.
“We should have dreams and visions to work in solidarity with our members at DASPA [Dominica Air and Seaport Authority] because these employees are the very same people who forfeited a salary increase because of COVID and they are now being offered increases that do not take the rate of inflation into consideration,” he said, adding “we have to be in solidarity with them.
“We have to be in solidarity with our members, our brothers and sisters, at Discover Dominica because what has been told to them is that they will not be getting a salary increase after they have not received a salary increase for over a decade,” Letang said.
Meanwhile, the president of the Civil Service Association in St Lucia, Cyprian Montrope, who also addressed the meeting, urged members to support the public service union in its quest for increased salaries.
“Too often we allow the executive to do all the hard work, but we the members only want to know what the percentage increase would be and not necessarily give them the support that would cause that increase to be what you expect to be…and also the conditions of work.
“I urge you the members to give all support. Support means not only coming to meetings but support also means you have to speak to every member and non-member wherever you work,” the trade unionist said. CMC
