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Pay cut meeting for Government workers

Government workers are meeting tomorrow to discuss their long-awaited plans for a wage cut and pension freeze.Talks are still rumbling on four months after a deal was agreed in principle aimed at saving Government tens of millions of dollars.It’s understood unions representing police and prison workers have still not agreed to the deal which would see workers accept an eight percent pay cut, matched by a freeze in their pension contribution, meaning their take home pay would not be reduced.Weeks of negotiating appeared to be reaching a conclusion in February, when unions reacted positively to politicians to cut their own salaries in a pledge to share the sacrifice.A Bermuda Public Services Union meeting takes place tomorrow at St Paul AME Centennial Hall, Court Street, at 3.30pm.President Kevin Grant said: “This is an issue that has been outstanding and that we have an obligation to inform our members on the status of these negotiations.”Supporters of the deal say the cash saved would be a welcome relief to taxpayers during the economic crisis; critics argue it would deprive the pension fund of contributions from workers and Government.MPs agreed to take a five percent pay cut through legislation passed in the House of Assembly in March.