Minister of Education, Hon. Oscar Requeña and other ministry officials meet with representatives of the BNTU
After unions’ sick-out and road blockades, GoB averts escalated industrial action as unions accept 3rd counterproposal
BELIZE CITY, Tues. July 1, 2025
Government officials are breathing a sigh of relief after the teachers who are members of the BNTU (Belize National Teachers Union), who militantly rejected the government’s first two counterproposals for a salary increase and frozen increments which they and their two public sector sister unions had demanded, voted to accept Government’s 3rd counterproposal which would see the government reach the full level of payments in less than two years. Government’s third counterproposal consisted of a 4.5% salary increase being paid on October 1, 2025, and the remaining 4% being paid the following year on October 1, 2026. Additionally, a first frozen increment would be restored on April 1, 2026, and the second on April 1, 2027.
The proposal was presented to the Joint Unions Negotiating Team (JUNT) at a meeting of both sides on Thursday, June 26, and voting was expected to be completed by Sunday, June 29. Both the Public Service Union (PSU) and the Association of Public Service Senior Managers (APSSM) had concluded their voting process, and the results were announced to the membership by Sunday. They had both accepted the proposal.
In the case of the Belize National Teachers’ Union (BNTU), even though polls were opened Saturday, our reports are that, though there was a 70% “yes” vote by night-time, the voter participation threshold required under their constitution had not been reached. As uncertainty lingered, questions began circulating about the implications if the threshold remained unmet. Monday passed and the vote had still not been finalized. It would not be until today, Tuesday, that the threshold was met. In a statement to members this morning, the BNTU reported that 75.04% of the members had voted to accept the government’s 3rd counterproposal.
The vote brings to an end the green machine’s actions on the salary demands which started on
May 9 with a march and rally in Belmopan, and escalated to sickouts in some schools at the end of May and road blockades across the country in the first week of June. However, the membership of the country’s largest union is not yet laying down arms. A decisive 86.79% of their voters responded in the affirmative when asked if they remain dedicated to “participating in industrial action through the BNTU and NTUCB to push for systemic or constitutional changes related to income tax reform, a thorough job classification and compensation system, anti-corruption measures, and stronger accountability enforcement laws.”
Some of those issues will be discussed as part of the joint unions’ negotiations for their new Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) and at the committees for cost-savings, pension reform and tax reform. According to BNTU National President Nadia Martin-Caliz, among the issues to be negotiated are class size and allowances. The CBA discussions are set to resume within a week.
The BNTU ended its statement to its members affirming, “This is only the beginning! We fully recognize and appreciate that an even larger majority of our members have registered your willingness to continue your participation in our actions, alongside the NTUCB, to push for the changes we wish to see in our systems of government.”
The JUNT will now notify the Government of the unions’ acceptance of the 3rd counterproposal and a commitment letter is expected thereafter from the government. Since the government’s fiscal year ends on March 31, and the first 4.5% salary increase is scheduled to take effect on October 1, 2025, the estimated cost for this first increase in fiscal year 2025/2026 is approximately $16 million—based on a cost of $7 million per percentage point.
Education Minister holds scheduled meeting with BNTU reps
Today, the Minister of Education, Hon. Oscar Requena, and other ministry officials held a scheduled meeting with representatives of the Belize National Teachers’ Union (BNTU) to address several matters of concern. It lasted 3 hours. It was agreed that national working groups would be convened on July 11 to work on terms of reference and allowances for Heads of Departments at the secondary school level, and to review and update the requirements for Continuous Professional Development and licensing criteria for teachers.
The discussion also addressed compensation for additional teaching duties due to teacher shortages, and unpaid salaries because of teacher license issuance delays. The Ministry says every additional hour of teaching will continue to be paid at BZ$25 at the secondary school level, and payments continue to be processed due to licensing issues. Likewise, the parties discussed the processing of outstanding increments and allowances for some teachers, as well as appointments and confirmations.
The Ministry separately notified that a certification program for school counsellors will be introduced for the 2025-2026 academic year via the Teacher Learning Institute.
The Ministry says it will continue to collaborate with the BNTU and other stakeholders “in its work to elevate the teaching profession and improve the education system of Belize.”
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