The membership of the Dominica Public Service Union (DPSU) has rejected government’s offer of a wage freeze or zero percent salary increase for the period 2012 to 2015.
“We had a meeting and government’s proposal was presented to the general membership and they have rejected in total,” General Secretary of the DPSU Thomas Letang told Dominica News Online moments after a membership meeting adjourned on Wednesday afternoon at the DPSU building on valley road.
He noted that the DPSU is proposing an overall 10 percent increase for the time period.
“Three percent for the first year, three percent for the second year and four percent for the third year,” Letang explained.
He said the proposal will be submitted to government “sometime next week”, as well as a “number of non-salary negotiations which we will be proposing.”
He said the membership believe that the proposal by government does not make sense and is lacking substance and noted that the public servants deserve an increase based on the sacrifices that they have made and continues to make.
“We believe that the increase that we are requesting is fair and the country can afford it,” he said.
When questioned on the membership turn out, he remarked that it could have been “a little better,” but it was affected by a previous meeting that dealt with a number of items on Wednesday’s agenda.
Meantime, speaking to state-owned DBS Radio prior to Wednesday’s meeting Prime Minister, Roosevelt Skerrit, said he hopes that “common sense will prevail” at the DPSU, since Dominica has not been spared by the world financial crisis.
“We have not been spared at all … not because we are doing extraordinarily well,” Skerrit said. “It’s because we have been able to manage the economy in a responsible manner and also we have been able to engender good relationships with our diplomatic partners. So it is not fair that people look at these things and say there’s a lot of money in Dominica let us see how much we can get out of it.”
Earlier this month the membership of the Dominica Police Welfare Association (PWA) “categorically” rejected government’s same offer of a zero percent increase for the period 2012 to 2015.
“We need a decent and honest increase from government,” PWA executive, headed by Jefferson Drigo, told DNO. “We are hardworking and the membership has asked that we do all we can to get this matter settled with good results for them and that’s our aim.”
Drigo said they are confident that government will allow common sense to prevail and treat police officers with dignity and respect.
Wouldn’t it be nice if all the government ministers, take a pay cut instead of salary increases.
Maybe they should put themselves in the shoes of the public servant. And they would have an idea of what people are going through. There is a saying who feels it knows it.
The genius of DNO has found the solution to pay DPSU, PWA and DTA their well deserved 10% salary increase. According to Francisco, we should have the bishop refund the $500 000 and save it to gain interest of $25 000. That will pay the salary of one public servant for one year.
Others want Charlie Jung’s salary eliminated. That’s another $96 000. Four (4) more workers will be paid for the year. If 15 ministers each give up $25 000, another 15 workers will benefit. So far we have collected $496 000 from salary reduction / elimination and interest on savings from a gift reclaimed plus half a million in the bank accumulating another 25k to pay the same worker next year. So far, 20 workers are taken care of.
If 2000 public servants have an average salary of $25 000, the government requires an additional $2500 per employee if each is given a 10% increase, making a grand total of $5,000,000.00 (5 million dollars). Government has to find an additional $4 504 000.00.
While public servants deserve an increase, farmers, small businesses and the self employed face the prospect of increased income taxes, VAT and other fees (licenses, for example). But government should pay, whether they can sustain it or not. UWP and their supporters must be careful what they ask for. The PM can issue huge back pay checks and win favor with many police officers and public servants. What better way to sabotage a new UWP government by tying them o an unsustainable public service contract if he didn’t have confidence in winning the upcoming election. What would UWP do then? Will they ask for salary reduction? I’d like to know!
The genius of DNO has found the solution to pay DPSU, PWA and DTA their well deserved 10% salary increase. According to Francisco, we should have the bishop refund the $500 000 and save I to gain interest of $25 000. That will pay the salary of one public servant for one year.
Others want Charlie Jung’s salary eliminated. That’s another $96 000. Four (4) more workers will be paid for the year. If 15 ministers each give up $25 000, another 15 workers will benefit. So far we have collected $496 000 from salary reduction / elimination and interest on savings from a gift reclaimed plus half a million in the bank accumulating another 25k to pay the same worker next year. So far, 20 workers are taken care of.
If 2000 public servants have an average salary of $25 000, the government requires an additional $2 500 per employee if each is given a 10% increase, making a grand total of $5,000,000.00 (5 million dollars). Government has to find an additional $4 504 000.00.
While public servants deserve an increase, farmers, small businesses and the self employed face the prospect of increased income taxes, VAT and other fees (licenses, for example). But government should pay, whether they can sustain it or not. UWP and their supporters must be careful what they ask for. The PM can issue huge back pay checks and win favor with many police officers and public servants. What better way to sabotage a new UWP government by tying them o an unsustainable public service contract if he didn’t have confidence in winning the upcoming election. What would UWP do then? Will they ask for salary reduction? I’d like to know!
The year to year average inflation for Dominica for the 5 year period 2010-2014 is 2.52* and the cumulative rate 13.25%. In other words $1.in 2010 would only buy $86 3/4 cents today.
In reality therefore, anyone one who has not had a pay rise during that time will have seen their buying power diminish i.e. got poorer in real terms. That is hard to swallow especially with a Govt. boasting about economic progress. Yes, we are facing hard times but I would suggest that the Govt. look at cost savings in other areas first, especially non-fixed costs rather than reducing the disposable income of its employees. At least award them pay rises in line with inflation if you don’t want to store up unrest.
* I have used consumer price data, real for 2010 and 2011 and a conservative estimate of 2.3%/annum for 2012, 2013 and 2014.
PM I dont concur with u on this one i think you should concentrate more on better salary/wages to match with our standard of living rather than just givin ppl money because most of the time the wrong set of ppl get all the money.
How skerrit expect to have money to pay public servants when he have money paying charlie jung, loreen, and many more to numeruous to mention from the public purse to do HIS dirty works??????. Dominican we have to rise up and take our country back.. i eh care who red who blue who green that pm gone so he hv to go…
Am I missing something here? Why are they still talking about 2012 – 2015 when we are approaching 2015?
What that tells me is that the union leadership is very weak. They should have forced the issue a long time ago (since the early part of 2012).
So when they finally get that settled, they will be talking about 2016 – 2020 in 2019? That does not make any sense to me.
Do like Savarin back in 1979. Shut the place down and you will see how quickly the government takes them seriously.
Notwithstanding we all want to be patriotic and serve our country, but the union has one objective and that is to serve the interest of its members. The government has their duty to protect the public purse. The government and the union should negotiate the best deal they can get and settle on some figure in the middle.
The idea that they are negotiating a contract 2.5 years retroactively is ridiculous.
We were told that we were doing better than the rest of the Caribbean Islands, So what is the problem now? It seems that only a few are doing very well in Dominica but the rest of the people should continue to remain in poverty?
If genius can get money from the Lord for a church roof why can’t he get money to pay his people from the same source? Does the Lord not like civil servants, policemen and teachers? Dominica like a soap opera but unfortunately it is for real
praise God Dominicans start standing for their rights what skirret believe he and his followers only to get rise in salaries the man they paying how much thousand grands for recording videos now.. they never said that economy hard lets pay him a bit less but is the local they never want to increase our salaries. Labour or workers this is unfair and skirret need to realize his time coming to an end people fed up. no more mouth talk action now DPSU I will join all you next time
So much of the state money is being used to bribe people for votes. That money should be usedto pay civil servants money that the deserve
PSU is weak!! It members are plenty WEAKER!! PM should ask for a 40% cut in all Public Servant salary. They would still stay there and do NOTHING!! WEAKLINS!!! COWARDS!! Cannot stand up against evil forces!!
appointment freeze too change them fellers
i am in support of the move. donot be intimidated as many quarters tend to do. stay focused on ur goal.
500,000 to a church (sorry the lord told you) .. but then you said this …”Meantime, speaking to state-owned DBS Radio prior to Wednesday’s meeting Prime Minister, Roosevelt Skerrit, said he hopes that “common sense will prevail” at the DPSU, since Dominica has not been spared by the world financial crisis.” SMFH
These guys boasting the economy doing so well. In the midst of bad economy here in the US, I got a pay increase every year.
Fellow Dominicans, when are you going to open your eyes, and look out for your best interest and the interest of the country, and stop making politicians give you a 6 for a 9? It is my understanding, that these ministers of government increase their salaries by about 50%, and they do not want to give you an increase. Yet cost of living is going up, so effectively, you area getting less money. Wise up and rise up my people.
hey Fast and Furious The Pm said that the lord is coming tomorrow. I guess you believe that too
Letang can put what ever proposal he wants. The negotiation will be delayed by Government and after elections they will continue and still end up 0% 0% 0% . Poor police, hard working teachers and public officers
My fellow Dominicans,
We have advised the PM/Minister of Finance that the only way he can win the upcoming elections is by creating a diversion. He has chosen this wage freeze for that purpose. We are aware that his trump card is the sufficient funds which he was promised by the Chinese Gov’t on his last visit there.
Please be patient. He will ultimately be praised as the hero when he abates the DPSU rage.
The Chinese are not giving him any money till the election is over. You think they are stupid and invest in something that is so uncertain? They holding tight and so is every other investor. So Skerrit must call election soon if his treasury is not to bleed dry.
Here is the subtlety of the situation … Public Servants should start going to church!
As for me I remain in the bush.. as a Private servant.
The business community should stand up because no raises means less spending power for Dominicans which is very bad for local business.
The unions, business community, Team Dominica and the Media association need to unity under these issues and encourage a strike/demonstration in the country for an increase for public servants and free/fair elections by cleaning the voter list.
Many Civil servants were retrenched in the 2000s…In addition to that our salaries were cut by 5%and for over 14 years we have not received a decent salary increase.
…Since then the government ministers which number 16 plus several advisors and the Office of the President had salary increases in excess of of 57% ..
.Every Wednesday Labour Party supporters line up in a Red Clinic where they are handed out cash and kind adding up to millions directly form the Treasury. ….The Bishop was just handed $500,000 largent Seche for the Cathedral Rehabilitation Fund.
What are you talking about? Is Civil Servant alone that can sacrifice????? That is pure wickedness
The DPSU have every right to reject the freeze, in the increase of pay. While some ignorant people make comparisons with Barbados who; laying off workers, and St. Lucia may be hanging people out to dry, we haven’t heard of a case where the governments of those islands have free money giving away to rich organizations like the Roman Catholic!
If the five hundred thousand dollars the government gave away to the labor party’s boy, as they claimed, was deposited in a bank to earn a five percent interest, per year that money would have earned interest of approximately twenty-five thousand dollars per year, and that could help to maintain the increase in pay the people deserves. I only hope I did not miscalculate the interest, so try some calculation for self: that would be 500,000 X 5/100 = approximately 25000.000 or approximately $25,000.00.
If my calculations are correct: and if that five hundred thousand dollars remained in for ten years, the interest earned would be two hundred fifty thousand dollars, Furthermore if it was deposited in a high yell account, the interest could be much higher.
So, we can continue to make comparisons with other islands, and the larger countries of the world, but we do not find their governments wasting, and giving free money away to people, while the hard working deserving people suffer daily unable to make two ends meet on the salary they earn!
Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaque
Barbados had to lay off 3000 workers because the Government could not pay them. St. Lucia workers had to accept 2% reduction in salary or face 200 layoffs.
Geez. I wonder if it’s because they were wasting money like here?
You make spelling mistake there Anonymous. It should be washing money, not wasting money.
And their salaries still much better than our smh
Please note that your information about St. Lucia is completely wrong.
That is true my friend. And what does our genius do? He creates hundreds of fictitious jobs under a NEP programme that contribute little or nothing to the economy but cost a fortune. Is our economy better off than in Barbados or St. Lucia? Do we have a higher standard of living? Go on, give us the figures to prove it!
Total damn disrespect by Government. Time for change. When you play with my money you play with my life.
Dem fellas need to team up with the hard working policemen and strike at the state palace, too much talk.
I want to see the Public Service strength because money making ding dang in Pointe Michel Soufriere Scotts Head from 7000 up every day. Last week 3 more people got money and materials to help complete their houses and to make matters worse some of the houses the land they are on the people do not even have papers for it as yet. Some of LYO women on payroll getting $400 chq every month my neighbour is one of them. So that means gov has money so why treat the public servants like
@ Concern Citizen: You are so correct. I understood many of then in Sibouli and Hollywood are getting thousands of dollars in envelopes under PDV.
Is that how we come? A few years ago the government gave themselves a 57% increase in salary, not 1%, or 2%, but 57%.
Shame on those guys. They boost and say the economy is boosting but that may be true because never in the history of Dominica have we seen ministers driving the most expensive SUV and building expensive buildings. For record: Austrie- Toyota Hilux( $165,000)
Peter Pepper( Nissan x-trail( $129,000)
Blackmoore( Honda Pickup( 120,000)
Ambrose( Nissan Navara( $165,000)
Mrs Charles( Suzuki ) ( 100,000)
Dr. Mac( Mitsubish) ( 120,000)
Ian Pin Mitsubishi(120,000)
Sam( Ford Ranger( 98,000)
P.M(Toyota) (350,000)
Should I continue?
So you see when those guys say things are bad, does it seem so bad with them. Eh Magwa sar!!!
God help this country!
They cannot afford to pay public officers but they have $500000 to donate bishop.
Well, is for one of their boys. Is krazy that called him that and bishop never refuted it. You think he hear Krazy’s confession?Guess two hail maries and one our father would not do?
Good move Mr.Letang. Don’t settle for crap. He has money forming the fool with let him pay.
Whilst it is difficult to accept a pay freeze particularly as the cost of living is rising. Just to let you know that people world wide is experiencing the same issues. Right now all public workers in the UK’s pay have been frozen for the past five years. Please take heart because you all have jobs thetre are many who is looking for work. God Bless you all
My dear I understand what you sayin but money runnin wild in the country for votes is that right. LPO running wild. LYO getting paid monthly for campaigning is that right. fridge stove making ding dang is that right. Use the money wisely not for . So when the public servants seeing gov wasting money so how you expect them to feel.
go and eat your own crap
Thanks for the advice. However, government has been squandering money like is manna from the dessert. What are your thoughts on this?
You mean manna fro Heaven surely. If you get manna from the dessert is only sand you are swallowing. Maybe that is what is happening to us?
@Anonymous you need to stop misleading people and get your facts right. Please note that on the 13th March 2014, 1.5 million public sector workers in the Civil Service in the UK received salary rise, also take mote that they ate not being paid peanuts, so please do not compare the UK with Dominica thank you
Hear, hear. I’m getting a pension from England and every year I’m getting an increase. That is good for Dominica too because I’m spending it here.
Have not gotten an increase in eight years. Still without a contract.
shut your skin!!…my cousin in canada working for $15 an hour. it doh even have a year since he gone up…after they take their taxes he still coming out better than me that working for 22 years….so shut your skin!!! ….and i not even using de equivalency rate….i break it down in EC dollars for your idiot brain to understand.
So what you are still doing in New York when you can get the same here?
Take back the D/can peeps money from the Bishop,
Sell the Villas and other properties after the take over put in a high yielding acct as per Francisco Telemaque.
Thanks for your sentiments but that is not going to pay my light bill, is it? And the church still expecting me to put my few cents in their collection bowl too. Lavie Dominichien waide for true. Lord, please deliver us from this scourge Amen.
Mr Letang please submit your proposal to the Bishop so the Bishop could then put it on god’s desk at the financial center.
But on a different note Mr Letang you guys are not sharks like Tony and those other crooks. Now that election is round the corner and Skerrit just drop half a million on Malzere Letang and the DPSU should have asked for twenty percent- you have the messiah Skerrit back against the rope and his foot is in his mouth – 20% or nothing. Afterall those hugs did not put the country first by hiding all over the Cayman islands, giving crazy t $500 K here and duty free there, passport dealers making out with millions, the penguin building a money tunnel from Dominica to Florida at his gated community home.
Letang is not Savarin and cannot do it like Savarin would.
The issue is not Savarin v Letang. The mentality of the people is different. During the strike of the 70’s mothers gave their kids tea sweetened with condensed milk as there was no sugar available. They were willing to sacrifice. They were selfless. The people were united to their cause and not to the interest “Jesus Skerrit”. People will still tell you that Patrick John was more popular than Skerrit; yet people united to voice their displeasure.
The teachers association and public service union have sold their rights and their bargaining power because of loyalty to a party. Whatever happens, the party can’t look bad.
Until people stop being concerned about being in Skerrit’s good books and try to move forward for their collective interests of their respective professions we’ll be stop in the rut of ignorant thinking.
It’s not Letang, its those who were in Goodwill shouting ” Jesus Jesus Jesus” and are still awaiting the messiah to perform their miracle.
Lang Mama good job!
Mr Letang please submit your proposal to the Bishop so the Bishop could then put it on god’s desk at the financial center.
Don’t worry its easy to get all that back toDA the important job is to vote them out but I have one problem which is major who replaces them not the Gaseous Team DA once called the solid team. It vaporized.
We need some Brothers and sistersof integrity to come forward like sons and daughters to do the right to be firm and fair.We need a gov’t of national salvation. not one like 1979 which paved the way for the DFP. It is clear to all with 1/512’s of a brain to know the DFP never left.They transformed in 1988 by fractioning catalized by greed for increase salary into the a mix of farmers top ones, self serving businessmen& women lawyers most exDFPites.Then came 2000 and we thought things had changed.No it certainly did not the DFP still controlled.The DLP transformed into a hybrid DFP?DLP controlled /powered by former DFP-ites supported and engineered by lawyers etc no even one engineer. remember in 1984 reagan did not listen to the engineers and the shuttle burnt up in space? That’s what occurred in DA politics and economy it burnt up in unbridled corruption. Now toutes mondes have become contaminated to the point where their survival matters.
How can we move forward if our voters list is hyjacked?
How can we be fair if plane loads of opportunists are preparing to come home to vote again illegally.( on both sides) as there are many double agents who are doing the Commonwealth of DA a disservice by just adding to our problems of keeping a corrupt group in power for a free trip?These are the fact and fact don’t lie like our politicians and good citizens- the architects of political and economic slavery.- Slinger Francisco not FET
Shame on Skerrit’s Labar Party.
0% for police , now 0% for DPSU. That’s how he’s treating you all?
Fix him up on election day.
and put lintn to give us minus 15%
I mean ministers in Government. And even ministers in church.
That is not money, what an insult with light bills and all other things going up.’ INFLATION’. Why are the minister not taking a pay cut with their fat salaries and building so many big homes. Love one another. What I know, what affects one affects all. Greed and selfishness is toxic.
I agree…my old union…go for it….you deserve this rise. You have families to take care of and these “……….of a …………. waste public finds,…..cannot account for it…..,,get rich fast while civil servants work hard and are disrespected by this most corrupt government since our independence.
DPSU must understand things are bad everywhere, PM Skerrit will fix the economy and the next 5 to 10 years things will be good and you will get your increase.
LPO Making ding gang
500K to a church
1.5Million on Laybar Rally in St.Joe
Plane Loads being paid for to com vote
Skerrit 20mil villas
Labor GIving money out like water for votes.
But yah tings are bad…. SMFH
I even forgot to Add.. President Salary of 30K for doing nothing, Skerrit Salary is 25K for doing squat…. and then charlie jong is 8K/M for spreading propaganda
Fool! How is he going to fix the economy when their/his philosophy is AID not TRADE and the people he is relying on to provide that AID are not interested in employing Dominicans? Come on you start thinking because you’ve got a brain.
Is bills I have to pay now, I want my money now!!
Public Service Workers, Private sector Workers all UNITE. Solidarity for ever. It is a gross insult to workers of this land to be offered 0%,0%,0% for 2012-2015 by Skerritt and his DLP Govt., who have been boasting that the economy is doing better than all the other islands.
If the economy is doing so good as the cabal fools the people about, well fix up the workers, nuh?
The same workers you want votes from just now. The same workers who have to pay back the $27 million loan that their Govt. borrowed from China and awarded the construction of the State Palace to the Chinese. The same workers whose bills have increased and standards of living decreased.
The Ministers’ have taken a significant increase on their salaries. They receive big perks everytime they travel, they receive a monthly amount, a possible $1000.00 for health assistance, quick wealth by some have been amassed, they getting richer and richer, while the workers are getting poorer and poorer. Some shall EAT ALL.
The youth, unemployed Unite. See how a Govt, is treating its people with contempt. They know that life has been made more difficult,, poverty is increasing, but shows little sympathy to the hardships and plight of those affected. It’s their own mismanagement and incompetence.
The Middle class is reeling. They never thought life would be so hard under Skerritt’s DLP Govt. The poorer class is being marginalized more and more.
Just listen to hear how much $$$$$$$$ will be spent for election campaign. Just see how much $$$$$ will be wasted leading up to elections.
But Dominica has strange people living in it. Even though holes in the pockets of many, they don’t want to rock PM boat. They prefer to grind in poverty. They prefer to see their standard of living come to below 0, while they protect, defend those who enrich themselves on the backs of the people. How Long? Not Long!!!!!!!!!!
I offer no apologies. It is God who told me to freeze the salaries of all public officers. You all are too stupid. Go to hell! Charlie Jung, Hartly Henry , Tony and the President are my main interests. I have alice-iron breast and I will continue to prick you all in both eyes.
Look out for Act 3, week1 people!
V/Case and Dominica at large. Change is a must.
Brother, you have just been promoted. Someone tell me the word is skritzophrenic now, next level up from shizophrenic.
Please do not back down mister letang. Life is a cycle. PM can use tax payers money abuse welfare and give church half a million
Let him pay. I see a national strike. Peaceful. Ask Charles Savren what he thinks about strike. Life is a cycle. PM needs to learn a lesson. Strike until the church give back the money. Strike until parliamentary rep take a pay cut. Don’t be cowards. PM only have loud bark but right now his teeth them rotten and falling out his mouth