Former PM Ralph Gonsalves has expressed significant concern regarding the government’s approach to public sector compensation, specifically noting a lack of communication regarding salary increases for 2026.
He stated last week that while his administration had planned to immediately commence discussions with public sector unions for an increase effective from 1 January 2026, no such negotiations have taken place under the current government.
Gonsalves said that the 2026 estimates must include a specific figure that the government feels it can afford to offer public servants. He contended that without addressing the “salary question” and only focusing on a one-off bonus, public sector workers are being “short-changed”.
He highlighted that both the Teachers’ Union and the Public Service Union have remained silent on the lack of progress regarding these salary negotiations and suggested that workers need clarity, and he expects any eventual agreement to be backdated to the start of 2026.
Gonsalves linked the lack of salary talks to a broader “breach of trust” regarding the “double salary” promise and stated that the NDP promised a “bonus salary” (meaning an extra full month’s pay) but is instead offering a “bonus,” which he views as a deceptive use of “weasel words”.
He defended his own record, noting that his government had provided salary increases and other supports over the previous three years, and noted that the ULP had planned to increase the personal income tax threshold from $25,000 to $26,000 in January 2026, with a long-term goal of reaching $30,000 to ensure workers take home more money.
Gonsalves cautioned that failing to manage these fiscal responsibilities—including salary increases and social assistance—while simultaneously refusing to borrow for capital projects would result in the government running the country “on fumes” rather than the “gasoline” of economic growth.