By Fay Simmons

Tribune Business Reporter

jsimmons@tribunemedia.net

A trade union leader yesterday warned her members to “stay tuned for the next move” as she asserted that the Government has yet to respond to concerns over this month’s planned salary and increment increases for line staff civil servants.

Belinda Wilson, the Bahamas Union of Teachers (BUT) president, said in a voice note that she is still awaiting the results of a survey recently issued to members regarding potential industrial action and a strike vote. Once the results are received, all will be informed and any next steps will be considered.

“I am still awaiting the results of the survey that was sent to our members regarding, first, taking industrial action and, second, a strike vote. Once we receive the results we will inform all members,” said Mrs Wilson.

She argued that the Davis administration has yet to respond to the letter herself and Kimsley Ferguson, the Bahamas Public Services Union (BPSU) president, delivered to the Office of the Prime Minister on October 15 outlining their grievances and concerns.

“Let me be clear, however, that neither I, Belinda Wilson, nor BPSU president, Kimsley Ferguson, have received any response from the Prime Minister or anyone in the Office of the Prime Minister,” said Mrs Wilson.

“We have not received any written reply, and we still have not been provided with the list or the details of how much the salary increase will be based on the salary review. Of the concerns and grievances outlined in our letter, only one has been half-way addressed.”

During his 2025-2026 Budget communication, Mr Davis announced middle management public servants would receive salary increases at the end of June and there would be broader pay rises of between 2 to 8 percent for the rest of the public service coming in September, along with expanded health insurance coverage for all government employees.

However, it was announced in September that public servants who missed earlier pay rises would now receive them in December, not in September as previously planned. The Government advised increases will be retroactive to September, with each employee receiving at least two salary increments, though the size of the increases will vary by civil service worker category.

Members of the BUT and BPSU subsequently marched to Parliament demanding clarity on the delayed salary increases that were initially promised in September, expressing frustration over what they described as a lack of follow-through by the Government.

Mr Davis, meanwhile, confirmed that the salary reviewbwas initiated to “make life better” for government employees. “This review was not done at the request of any union; it was done because my government believes Bahamian workers deserve better,” he added.

“We wanted to look carefully and independently at how salaries across the public service can be made fairer and more reflective of the value of the work you do.” Mr Davis has also reaffirmed his commitment to making payments to public workers “before Christmas”.

“If the question is one of payment, let me say again: Every public servant will be paid before Christmas. The Ministry of Finance and the Treasury have been working to ensure this, and I am satisfied that they are on course to deliver,” he added.