Union President Weighs In: Will Members Accept Gov’t’s New Offer?

And while the government laid its latest offer on the table, how are the unions feeling about it? We caught up with Public Service Union President Dean Flowers, who says today’s talks were held in good faith and described the meeting as cordial. But the big question remains—will his members accept the deal? Flowers weighed in on that, and what comes next for the union.

 

Dean Flowers, President, Public Service Union

“As usual we want to acknowledge the continued good faith discussions by the government team. They are not here in their entirety but they had adequate representation. As much as we can we maintain good faith and cordial discussion.”

 

Reporter

Were you amenable to accept the counterproposal?

 

Dean Flowers

“I only have one vote in the PSU. So it is not whether I am amendable, it is whether my members are amendable. The government did what it had committed to. It submitted another counter proposal. I am hoping that matter will be proposed to my membership at the very earliest.”

 

Reporter

The DPM says this one is not tied to anything. They have upped it from four to four point five percent. So you think your membership will accept that?

 

Dean Flowers

“I don’t know what my membership will accept. The context has to be discussed. The context. If that is what the DPM said then he would have told you whether it would have been a straight black and white proposal. It is an improved proposal and one that we will present to our membership and we hope that we can break the impasse. We were reminded today, with the presence of the Minister Labor who came as a observer that the twenty-one days expires on Sunday. So between now and Sunday we will find a solution.”