Government is to reopen talks on collective bargaining agreements with unions “in the coming weeks and months”, the House of Assembly heard today.

Lovitta Foggo, government reform minister, said that four new agreements had been struck with the Bermuda Public Services Union’s general membership, Bermuda Industrial Union, the Fire Services Association and the Bermuda Union of Teachers.

She added that a memorandum of understanding had been signed with the BPSU principals section and that negotiations with the Prison Officers Association and the Bermuda Police Association continued.

But Ms Foggo said that the BPSU general member’s deal would reach its end in September 2020 and the BIU agreement would reach its term at the end of this year.

In addition, the agreement with the FSA would end in March 2020, while the BUT deal would conclude in August this year.

Ms Foggo said: “Notwithstanding the milestone of having successfully completed negotiations with most partners, varying expiration dates as well as provisions to reopen specific clauses in years two and three of the multiyear agreements, will require new talks with the unions.”

She added that a new Public Sector Negotiations Team made up of Jonathan Smith, an ex-police commissioner and former Progressive Labour Party senator, Orin Simmons and Vincent Hollinsid, a former Chief Fire Officer, would take up their posts at the start of next month.