The Joint Unions Negotiating Team, or JUNT, has responded to the prime minister’s latest pay proposal, and they’re not holding back. In a letter dated May thirty-first, the unions made it clear: a three percent salary increase starting in October just doesn’t cut it. After talking it over with their members, they’ve unanimously rejected the offer. But they’re not just saying “no”, they’re calling on the Government to lead by example. While they support the national push to raise the minimum wage to six dollars an hour, they believe public officers, who keep the country running, deserve more than just the bare minimum. They’re demanding a living wage that reflects the real value of their work. Still, it’s not all criticism. JUNT welcomed the government’s promise to follow through on its legal obligations under the 2021–2024 Collective Bargaining Agreement. That includes updating transfer grants and paying what’s owed to public officers who’ve been relocated. The unions are now asking for an official notice confirming the new grant rates. And in a sign of cooperation, they’ve agreed to the Government’s suggestion of a sixty-day window for responding to counterproposals during negotiations.
