ROSEAU – Public servants in Dominica are to receive two months salary as a one-off payment for arrears after the Dominica Public Service Union (DPSU) said it had concluded “successful” talks with the government.
DPSU general secretary Thomas Letang said that the collective agreement has already been signed and ‘what we have before us is a salary freeze for the period 2015-16.
“So public officers will not be getting a salary increase for 2015, 2016. A one-off payment equivalent to one-month salary computed on the last salary received by the officer who retired in 2015-2016 . . . and that is for retired officers who retired in 2015 and 2016.
“For public officers who remain, a one-off payment 2016-2017 equivalent to two months salary and that will be computed on the last salary received by the officer as of June 2017.”
Letang said public officers would also receive a three per cent salary increase for the fiscal year 2017-2018. Additionally, agreement was reached on several other areas, he said including an EC$20 000 grant towards training public officers, an EC$8 000 grant towards the union’s revolving fund and a grant of EC$236 000 towards the union’s medical fund and health insurance.
“We certainly see this as a success and a win for the Dominica Public Service Union,” said DPSU president Steve Joseph, following the end of the 2015-18 triennium negotiations.
“We take this opportunity to thank most profoundly our members who stood with the executive throughout this period and the supporters because we were joined on many occasions by members of the public who attended our rallies as we built up momentum as we spoke via our radio programme on the media, we received support both locally and regionally,” Joseph said. (CMC)
