The Bermuda Hospitals Board is in talks with the Government over its 2025 budget ahead of negotiating staff wage increases.

It came after six BHB nurses claimed the hospitals board and the Bermuda Public Services Union were dragging their feet on issues of concern, including salary increases.

A BHB spokeswoman said the board recognised that cost-of-living pressures were experienced by all staff.

She said the board had been on a fixed budget since 2019, limiting its capacity for pay rises.

The board said once budgets talks were complete, it would be better placed for salary negotiations with the BPSU and the Bermuda Industrial Union, which also represents hospital employees.

Two weeks ago, the nurses — three of whom are non-Bermudians — said they were informed by the BPSU that yearlong negotiations on an “outdated” collective bargaining agreement with the hospital will not be finished until next year.

One said she had not received a pay increase in eight years.

She said newly hired nurses received a $1.50 hourly pay increase after a three-month probationary period, but called the sum meagre.

The women alleged that specialist nurses received the same salaries as those in clinical areas.

They said some of their colleagues hired from overseas had difficulty finding accommodation after their first three months on island.

A BHB spokeswoman said a meeting attended by department leaders and executive team members was held recently with a small number of nurses who raised similar concerns.

The spokeswoman said issues relating to pay and benefits for its professional staff are part of the collective bargaining agreement negotiated with the BPSU.

She added: “However, BHB takes the concerns of its staff seriously and we do try to work together to find solutions where we can.”

The board said it would be a breach of the bargaining agreement to unilaterally give special housing and new salary benefits to staff without negotiating with the union and ensuring equity for all.

The BHB acknowledged that all registered nurses were on the same level of pay but said the scale went up with experience, upon completion of probation periods.

On accommodation for newly hired, overseas nurses, BHB said they got three months’ complimentary accommodation, allowing time to find their own permanent housing.

It said an accommodations team assisted staff in finding places.

The BHB said the island was “heavily dependent” on healthcare professionals from overseas and added: “In order to recruit and retain them, we take their concerns seriously and respond to changing market conditions such as the housing shortage.”

The hospital board said it has successfully balanced the interests of its 1,524 staff and was committed to giving all fair and equitable support.

In addition, the nurses said in March they were informed by the BPSU of a delay in negotiations with the BHB.

They were told through correspondence from the union that it was engaged in union-related commitments on behalf of its wider membership.

The union added that renovations at its office in Hamilton made it occasionally difficult for staff to be on the property.

A BPSU spokeswoman said it had always engaged collaboratively with the hospitals board on matters concerning nurses and other staff.

She said concerns raised by members were addressed through the established processes and procedures.

The union said a joint consultative committee met regularly to address compensation for new positions, as well as to review and readjust job descriptions for existing BHB roles.

It said it remained steadfast in its commitment to advocate for members and safeguard workers’ rights.