Public servants are set to receive a new round of salary increases by July 2026 as the government completes a nationwide reclassification exercise aimed at modernizing pay across the public service, Prime Minister Gaston Browne announced Thursday during the presentation of the 2026 national budget.
Browne told Parliament the upgrade will form part of a broader overhaul of the wage negotiation system, ensuring that salary adjustments are delivered in a timely and predictable manner. He said unions have already been invited to submit proposals as part of a new framework designed to eliminate years-long delays.
“Civil servants will also benefit from a further upgrade in pay as a result of the reclassification that will be completed by July 2026,” Browne said. He added that the government is restructuring the collective bargaining process so that new salary increases “take effect no later than July 2026.”
The Prime Minister positioned the pay increase as part of a broader commitment to fairness, stability and improved working conditions in the public sector. He said the government’s record on worker compensation makes clear that it “honors its obligations” and treats employees with respect.
Since 2022, the administration has cleared more than $60 million in retroactive wages owed to public servants, with another payment scheduled this month. Browne said this includes individuals who left the public service before December 2022, noting that “every eligible worker” will receive what is owed to them.
The Prime Minister said the upcoming salary upgrade, combined with ongoing reforms, will help establish a more modern and efficient public service. “A government’s character is revealed not in slogans, but in how it treats its workers,” he said.
The budget debate continues next week, when ministers are expected to outline sector-specific implications of the reclassification and the new wage negotiation system.
Advertise with the mоѕt vіѕіtеd nеwѕ ѕіtе іn Antigua!
We offer fully customizable and flexible digital marketing packages.
Contact us at [email protected]
