The Bermuda Trade Union Congress has vowed to fight Government “every step of the way” over its plans to privatise and outsource public services.

The BTUC claimed that Government’s plans to privatise, mutualise and outsource the public service will result in job losses and cuts to wages, salaries and benefits.

The stark warning comes just days after a heated OBA town hall meeting in which Finance Minister, Bob Richards justified the need for cost cutting reform to the Civil Service.

Outlining recommendations put forward by the independent Spending And Government Efficiency (SAGE) Commission Mr Richards on Wednesday dismissed claims that outsourcing some Civil Service departments would inevitably result in job losses.

But a statement by the BTUC yesterday stated: “If Government choose to move ahead with its agenda of privatisation, outsourcing and mutualisation then the BTUC will be left with no other option than to move forward with our agenda.

“The workers of Bermuda will not be defeated. We will not accept job cuts and we will fight the Government every step of the way.”

In the statement the BTUC restated its request for the opportunity to work with Government to develop a “multiyear deficit reduction strategy”.

It added: “It is obvious to the Bermuda Trade Union Congress that the Government is forcibly moving forward with its agenda to transfer economic wealth from the public sector to the private sector.

“Under this agenda the rich will get richer and the poor will get poorer.

“The challenges we now face as a people are unprecedented.

“The Government’s plans to privatise, outsource and mutualise the public service will result in job losses and cuts to wages salaries and benefits.”

The group said it would “not stand idle” while Government forged ahead with the public reform legislation and its “agenda”.

The statement added: “This is a fight that the BTUC is not prepared to lose, not only for its members but because of how his will affect the general public.

“The BTUC is prepared to stand in solidarity to stop Government’s agenda.

“The BTUC will not sit idle while the Government forges ahead with this legislation and their agenda.

“The BTUC realises that Government is facing economic challenges and that they are struggling to find solutions to the current fiscal stress.

“However privatisation, outsourcing, and mutualisation are not the answers.”

During Wednesday’s public meeting, Mr Richards defended plans to move ahead with cost-cutting reforms of the Civil Service, saying that, unless action is taken, Government will soon be “broke”.

The Finance Minister insisted that, in order to get people back to work, Government needed to reduce expenditure, cut its deficit and attract more foreign investment.

But last night the BTUC said it was “calling for true reform of the public service; reform that seeks to modernise public service, improve customer experience, achieve greater openness, transparency and accountability, affirm skills of leadership and human resource management and build a world class 21st century public service to recruit and retain the best public servants”.

“These are elements of true reform and is what we support,” it added.