Public Workers Union wants Government to provide the new date on which retroactive payments will be made to Public Officers, since government has said that the third instalment of payments will be late.
This was due for payment on 28 February 2014 as part of the signed agreement between Government and the PWU. “This is noted as a breach of contract of the signed Agreement between the parties. This delay will put most of our members in difficult situations and in some cases embarrassing ones, as a number of members have already made commitments for the utilisation of these resources,” said the Union in a statement.
The union says that its membership continues to make the necessary sacrifice and is asking that the employer understands the contributions that they are making without unnecessary hardship for members in meeting their commitments, as this is also a difficult period for workers.
In its statement on the matter, Government said that while the process of preparation for payment is almost completed, Government is mobilizing external funding which has not yet arrived.
The total cost of this instalment of retroactive payment is $12M. This third instalment will bring the total retroactive payment to $30 million with Government having paid $18 million in 2013. Government has promised to provide an update on this payment by 17 March 2014.