Members of the Bahamas Union of Teachers (BUT) and the Bahamas Public Services Union (BPSU) staged a protest in front of the House of Assembly, for the second time in two weeks, on Wednesday. Chief among their grievances is the disbursement of promised salary increases for public servants.

BUT President, Belinda Wilson spoke with reporters about the answers needed from the government. She said the released salary review report only covers middle managers and technical officers.

“You know what he said it is comprehensive. If it is comprehensive then where is the information for the persons at the Ministry of Education, for the teachers, for the nurses, for the police officers, for the 52 week workers, for the temporary workers,” Wilson said.

The BUT President also responded to claims that the salaries of people participating in the industrial action would be cut. She said, “so permanent secretary, the one who wrote to me, if you know the law one day call in does not constitute a salary cut.”

Geraldine Rolle-Strachan, who has been a janitress for twenty years, participated in the protest showing off her pay stub. In her current position she earns more than $19,000. She said, “my mortgage is $1,200, tell me where do I go.”

BPSU President, Kimsley Ferguson shared his disappointment about the situation. He said, “with the absence of the financial secretary we couldn’t seem to have gotten any accurate numbers on what was transpiring. Upon review of the salary review we realized that the lower end of public servants were not included or incorporated in it.”

Unions are advocating for salary increases to be paid at the end of this month.