Prime Minister Gaston Browne has instructed the government's negotiating team to offer public sector workers the highest wage increase the country can sustainably afford, as talks with trade unions remain ongoing.
According to Antigua News Room, Browne made the remarks during an appearance on Pointe FM's Browne and Browne Show, where he outlined the government's position in clear terms.
"We have set our negotiating team that as the negotiations continue, give them the maximum that they can," Browne said.
The prime minister confirmed that the government has already granted a 5% wage increase to all public servants, covering both established and non-established workers. "When it comes to salaries and wages… we have already given all public servants, established and non-established, a five percent increase," he said.
Browne indicated that additional increases remain under consideration, but stressed that any further adjustment must be fiscally sustainable. The negotiations are taking place against a backdrop of rising living costs, with unions pressing for more substantial improvements to workers' pay.
The prime minister has previously acknowledged that wage increases at the lower end of the pay scale carry wider implications for the entire public sector salary structure, placing additional pressure on the Treasury.
The administration is also working toward a broader "livable wage" policy aimed at raising minimum monthly earnings in the public sector to approximately $2,200, with some workers positioned to receive higher adjustments thereafter.
Separately, the government has been processing outstanding back pay owed to public servants. More than $30 million has been allocated for this purpose, with payments to be disbursed in phases.
Browne reaffirmed that the government remains committed to improving wages while maintaining fiscal discipline as negotiations continue.
