ST. GEORGE’S, GRENADA, March 28, 2017 – GIS:  Government is pleased to announce that it has reached settlement and has signed the collective agreement with the Public Workers Union and the Grenada Technical and Allied Workers Union for salary increases for the period 2013 to 2019.

The Government Negotiating Team thanks the leadership of both the PWU and the GTAWU for their spirited engagements during the negotiations, and their decision to balance their constituents’ interests with the national good.

The signing by the two unions brings Government to completion of the salary and wage settlements with the Public Sector Unions and Welfare Associations for this negotiation period, having previously signed with the Grenada Union of Teachers, the Grenada Manual, Maritime and Intellectual Workers Union, Police and Prisons Associations.

The agreement between the Government and unions entail the following:

1. For the period 2013 to 2016, a compensatory one-off payment of $1000.

(More will be paid after discussions between the parties in July 2017 if the fiscal space allows.

2. A 3% increase in basic pay for the period 2017; a 3% increase in basic pay for the period 2018, and a 4% increase in basic pay for the period 2019--each period respectively covering a calendar year and applied with a compound effect.

In the case of the PWU and TAWU, their April salaries will reflect the agreed upon increase for 2017 and the one-off payments.

The one-off payment to all public sector workers amounts to 7 million dollars.

The total salary increases for the period January 2017 to December 2019 are as follows:

➢ 3% for 2017 (ECD 6.5 million)

➢ 3% for 2018 (ECD 6.9 million)

➢ 4% for 2019 (ECD 9.5 million)

The total salary increases for the 3-year period is ECD 22.9 million.

In sum, in addition to meeting recurring salaries and wages on time every month since assuming office in 2013, the total additional monies paid by Government to Public Service employees from 2013 and into 2019 amounts to $106 million dollars.