DPSU/Gov’t salary negotiations now closed

Thomas Letang
Thomas Letang

The general membership of the Dominica Public Service Union (DPSU) has accepted the government’s salary increase of 1.5 percent for 2011/2012 and wage negotiations for the triennium 2009-2012 are now closed, according to the general secretary of the union, Thomas Letang.

“We discussed that at the executive level … we informed the government of our position,” Letang told DNO on Thursday. “What we have since done was contact the members …. the response from them was that we should accept.”

Letang pointed out that the DPSU has written to the government on the members’ acceptance of the increase and said that government should have received the union’s letter by Thursday morning.

The DPSU and the government were at loggerheads for months over wage increases with the union even threatening industrial action if demands, which included a 3 percent increase for 2011/2012, were not met.

The acceptance of the union’s general membership of the increase brought the curtains down on the negotiations and the matter has come to an end.

Earlier this month Letang said a number of factors were taken into consideration by DPSU’s executive before agreeing to the government’s position. Among them were the fact that the Dominica Association of Teachers (DAT) and the Police Welfare Association (PWA) had accepted the 1.5 percent increase offered and agreements with government on a number non-salary benefits and contribution to an education and medical fund for public officers, among others.

And then there was the threat issued by Prime Minister, Roosevelt Skerrit, of taking the matter to arbitration. “We spent a lot of time looking at the possible implication or outcome of going to arbitration,” Letang noted.

He said the DPSU is now awaiting a date for public officers to receive their back pay.

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36 Comments

  1. Politician
    February 14, 2013

    Dominica needs a saviour, and so many non-members want letang neck for not shotting down the country for a .5% extra. Well well, sorry for those who believe letang is the union. One of those days when public servants are tired of being fooled by their parl-reps they will demand the increase they deserve and politician who hide behind DNO walls will make an attempt to appreciate the struggle between Davis and Goliath at a time when public officers are not conscious of their rights and power, instead they leave in fear

  2. Shameless
    February 14, 2013

    :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: YAWN!
    Is someone listening? Letang you must be kidding me? Is that news worthy? We all knew all along you were just a bag of very hot air..lol. What a laughing stock you have become.

    Assertive, NOT Agressive!

  3. Justice and Truth
    February 14, 2013

    Times are hard. It appears that the good times are gone in this respect. Gone are the days of two, five, six and even ten percent salary increase. In fact, the minimum in those days was five percent. Increases were based on performance. Sadly, the cost of living has increased immensely but generally salaries have remained stable. Employees are fortunate if they get as much as one or one and a half percent increase. This is the overall situation worldwide.
    I wonder what is in store for future employees, especially the young ones who are presently attending school. What will their salary and salary increase be like some years from now as the cost of living escalate? This includes those who are still babies and small children and others who are yet to be born. It is something serious which we should all think about. As the world progresses, if only something could be done about it before it is too late.

  4. Malgraysa
    February 14, 2013

    Who are these travelling officers, who will get duty-free cars Mr. Letang? Tell us you are not one of them.

  5. xzy
    February 14, 2013

    Did Mr Letang really say that or did the media misquote him… ? “…the Dominica Association of Teachers (DAT) and the Police Welfare Association (PWA) had accepted the 1.5 per cent increase… and “… then there was the threat issued by Prime Minister, Roosevelt Skerrit of taking the matter to arbitration” – a gangster???.

    I think Mr Letang while not being oblivious to developments going on around him, these are not the first reasons he should use to justify acceptance of government’s proposals. It makes the PSU look weak. His members’ interest should come ahead of the decision of other unions and threats from whosoever. The PSU should lead and let others follow, not follow the Non-leaders.

    • February 15, 2013

      I think the Union should have taken up Skerrit PM on going to abitration sometimes one have to go as far as possible to get the result they are seeking they should not allow Skerrit to stong arm them I have attended enough abitration hearings to know most of the times the complainant comes out the winner I wish that the Union and it’s membership get tough when negotiating next time .

  6. Realistic opinion
    February 14, 2013

    This is the only gov`t in the history of Dominica which finds it very difficult to be able to give a reasonable salary increase. This needs to be written down in our history books. It is so funny when we were told that Dominica is one of the Countries wheathering the economic melt down

    • Justice and Truth
      February 14, 2013

      Where is the DA government getting the money from for an exorbitant salary increase? I do feel that this government wishes that the situation were different and the public employees could receive a higher salary increase.
      Dominica gets financial help from abroad as loans. Have you ever considered that? The same countries and non-profit organizations as also the Caribbean and World banks which assist Dominica and other countries, even their employees are faced with similar hardship including lay-offs.
      You must put on your thinking cap and realize the depth of this situation which is a worldwide crisis. We are all suffering and have empathy for those who experience a similar situation. Let us say that we are all in it whether near or far.

  7. hallie berrie
    February 14, 2013

    letang time to resign.

  8. fearful
    February 14, 2013

    One percent- with the cost of living so high, come on, this is a joke. If the country at this point cannot give public or private workers and increase, they should not. But giving 1.5% that really cannot do anything, cause it goes right back in taxes or other bills.

    To see or make a difference in peoples pay cheques, it has to be at least 5% or more. But if the country has no income coming in, they really cannot help in any increase. We need to have other ways of bringing revenues to the country beside tourism. We are literally falling apart.

    • Joe
      February 14, 2013

      Geothermal will save us, and i guess you suggesting the public servants get 000%

    • Dominiquen
      February 14, 2013

      You cannot squeeze blood out of stone.

      • Malgraysa
        February 15, 2013

        And therefore the P.M. travels economy class to save the poor country money? Who is that stone that can not be squeezed by the way?

  9. mango temptation
    February 14, 2013

    Anyway, we are truly PUBLIC SERVANTS. and thwy talking of work performane of the public servic. Is that how we are motivated wor work hard? Time will tell. Letang continue to sing for ur supper.

  10. LA
    February 14, 2013

    Fire Letang. What comess is that nuh?

  11. TRUEMAN
    February 14, 2013

    ***WE CAN”T ALWAYS GET WHAT WE WANT***

    The country is not making any new income. Yet public servants always want increase. At the same time the regular workers fom the private sector is NOT getting a salary increase at their job.

    This means that if an increase is always given to the public sector workers then it’s the regular worker/private sector who will be sqeezed for more money.

    I’m not saying that some of the public sector do not deserve an increase but some of the private sector workers ALSO deserve an increase too.

    It’s a tough situation. We are all in the same boat!!

    Let’s all be mindful of that!!

    -Thanks

    • Anonymous1
      February 14, 2013

      We are not in the same boat. Where is your union to negotiate on your behalf

      • Justice and Truth
        February 14, 2013

        You should know that not all employees are unionized. There are some employers who do not want their employees to be unionized. I do not know if this is true for Dominica but it is so in progressive countries.
        You can say woe to those employees who are not unionized. They have no one to speak on their behalf.

    • mango temptation
      February 14, 2013

      @ trueman – go back to school, u talking nonsense. Go and find out the increase the ministers get and wheeel and come again.

      • Justice and Truth
        February 14, 2013

        Ministers always make more money, an exorbitant amount more than ‘the little people’ as employees. This is so in every country; no exception in progressive ones, some inflating their expenses and cheating so that they will receive a higher income. This is why some people enter politics and campaign to be elected. We are not blind to this. Some think only of themselves and not their constituents. It is a vicious circle.
        I have stated this but I am not referring to any Dominican – in Dominica for I do not know the income of those elected politicians.

    • hallie berrie
      February 14, 2013

      @ trueman – stop being silly. go and find out how much increase minsters get. pure nonsense

      • Joe
        February 14, 2013

        @Hallie berrie, the increase you talking about was for Parliamentarians, all 30 of them, so when the uwp candidates stayed out of Parliament they were enjoying the hike in their salary for doing absolutely nothing..

        Now be reasonable, there are over 4000 public officers, that must be paid the increase, and bear in mind that this increase must be paid every month and on time..

        Do some maths, even if the increase averages $20 per person the cost to the treasury will be $80,000 more on a monthly basis are we willing to pay more taxes to foot a high wage bill??

        I know am not, so i accept the 1.5%

      • Malgraysa
        February 15, 2013

        Joe, the question is not “are we willing to pay more tax” but ” is the Govt. prepared to cut costs”? Why should it always be the rank & file that have to sacrifice & suffer most while the fat cats keep feeding themselves?

    • JUDGE DREDD
      February 14, 2013

      you are so mis-informed i feel sorry for you.

      a junior custom officer(4900.00) in st lucia is getting more money than the deputy comptroller in dominica…

      you call 0,1, 1 0 an increase, because that is what those servants have been always getting.

      if the government was not using the public purse for political party politics then the country would be better financially…
      so tell them stop the giving of money in the red clinic and the rampant duty free to supporters and allow people to work for their livelihood.

      and the police, letang and those teachers should show some balls

      • Joe
        February 14, 2013

        Judge Dredd, is it your inferiority complex that gave you that information or you have emperical data to prove that a Junior Customs Officer in St. Lucia drasws $4,900 monthly??

        I used to live and work down there and can tell you straight off that your figure is absolutely incorrect, no junior staff draws that kind of money in the OECS unless if you cleverly converted it into $TT or Jamiacan dollars…

        Reseach better because that one was an attempt to mislead us!!!!!

    • Stryka
      February 14, 2013

      nonesense u talking not long curtis augustus was boasting about some significant increase to several workers in some business place n he was talking about he secured 5% plus.Listen to your news

    • Justice and Truth
      February 14, 2013

      Why are some people so eager and quick to give thumbs down? Do they ever comprehend what they read or do they take the time to read and to grasp the sense of it?
      Your comment is an excellent one. It is true and makes good sense.
      Indeed! What about the private sector? How much increase do they get, if any at all? In view of the cost of living they, too, deserve an annual increase.

      • JoJo
        February 15, 2013

        They comprehend alright but maybe they don’t like sanctimonious people?

  12. Jay
    February 14, 2013

    Contact WHO?

  13. Candominican
    February 14, 2013

    Dominicans are pure loosers- implication of going to tribunal? Really Letang, threat by Roosevelt? 1.5 %?. You mean the people of Dominica accepted a one point five percent increase in pay ( i write it in words because it less disheartening to read the words than see the figure. I wonder wat else will this sorry nation accept from Roosevelt.

    Carnival Monday and Tuesday, Dominicans of all walks of life took the streets to celebrate their tradition. I am told that the event was well attended and i am happy it went well. Now, lets suppose that dominicans are called to stand up for justice, their rights to demand a higher pay, their right to oppose the CCJ, to demand that Roosevelt nor his lawyers should obstruct the course of justice or IPO proceeding, i wonder how many of these very people would take to the streets on wednesday? I am sure may be only a handful. On this account, i conclude that this nations needs a cleansing- may be something similar to what happened in times gone by.

    • lappy
      February 14, 2013

      some of us just dont know how to be contented, when we go to antigua and the other places what we get we taking so we need to relax ourselves. and if we dont go on the job for more than a day just know dont come back cuz some hungry job hunter has just got ur job. looser. be realistic man. D/ca have plenty boujwa. lets all give an input to make things better we can start by eating what we grow and grow what we eat. May u be blessed

    • Joe
      February 14, 2013

      Candominican,

      You are the looser, why didn’t you stay and help develope your country? What year did you migrate? Was it Roosevelt that was in power when you ran away? If so then you lapse you should have stayed so you could count in the handful if we were asked to protest against Roosevelt!!!

      My advise to you is stop listening to one radio station and between you and me i think the show is bad for you!!!

      What % increase is the norm for Canadian Government employees 12% per annum therefore 36% every triennium?? SMDFH!!!! Just stay Canada and mind your dam business we are not going to damage our island for petty party politics….

    • MIA
      February 14, 2013

      And I conclude you’re a PURE LOOSER just as well.

    • Q
      February 14, 2013

      im a dominican, working in the Government Service and i applaude Candominican for these statements. be it if you live in a country or not, you can always tell left from right and right from wrong. and this is soo very wrong. i think we should stop think politically, and biasly, just because someone makes a negative comment about our prime minister doesnt mean we are red, green or blue….even yellow for that matter. so ‘JOE’ come again. you sound like ur content if the Government gives u scraps and ull ask for more scraps. dont be a fool.

      nonsense.

    • Woman
      February 14, 2013

      Don’t worry about us…things can always be better…but what is the sense of running the country to the ground for more money…better you get than you doh get at all. And that is not poverty mentality..that is thinking straight. Just for us to be bawling in five years….make your money in Canada and live your life. I want more money of course..but I am fine…living my life like it’s golden….

      Just took a nice sea bath there on Monday…..and pull up on the beach on the entire day….and I must say…..things could not have been better…..Dominica Dominica Dominica Nice…Domincia Dominica Sweet Paradise

    • February 15, 2013

      That was well detailed well done.

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