Teachers Say Yes to GOB’s Proposal

The Belize National Teachers’ Union (BNTU) has officially accepted the government’s latest salary proposal.

However, union members are making it clear that the fight for deeper systemic reforms is far from over.

In a memo shared with its membership, the BNTU revealed the results of a recently concluded vote on GoB Proposal #3. The offer includes an 8.5% salary adjustment to be delivered in two phases: 4.5% by October 2025 and an additional 4% by October 2026. The government has also committed to reinstating two previously frozen increments in April 2026 and April 2027.

According to the final tally, 75.04% of union members voted in favor of accepting the proposal, while 24.96% voted against.

Despite the clear mandate, the union said that the vote does not signal the end of its advocacy. A second vote asked members whether they were still committed to participating in industrial action, alongside the National Trade Union Congress of Belize (NTUCB), in pursuit of broader reforms. A striking 86.79% said yes, confirming the union’s strong stance on long-standing national issues including:

Income tax reform

Job classification and compensation system overhaul

Anti-corruption measures

Stronger accountability enforcement laws

“It is therefore concluded from these results, that the majority of the BNTU membership have accepted the Government’s third proposal,” the memo stated. “Be advised that this is only the beginning.”

The union described the voting results as a dual mandate: acceptance of the immediate salary deal, and a commitment to push for long-overdue structural change in Belize’s governance and labor systems.

“We fully recognize and appreciate that an even larger majority of our members have registered their willingness to continue your participation in our actions,” the union leadership wrote. “We look forward to your continued engagement moving forward.”