Staff at the Sir Lester Bird Medical Center (SLBMC) staged a protest Tuesday morning to highlight long-standing issues with delayed back pay dating back to 2018.
The workers, including nurses, clerks, maintenance workers, and cleaners, expressed frustration that government workers at other facilities received their back pay in December 2024, while three months later they are still waiting to receive theirs.
Last year, Prime Minister Gaston Browne — during the 2025 Budget Speech — said that civil servants will receive back pay, with the initial disbursements scheduled for December 18, 2024.
The retroactive payment stemmed from the government’s decision to implement the remaining 9 percent of the previously agreed 14 percent salary increase for all public servants, covering the period from January 1, 2018, to January 31, 2024.
One worker, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told Observer Media that management only recently communicated with staff about the payment situation.
“It’s all about when … because since 2018 we have been waiting, in 2024 and now 2025 now and guess what, nothing … they just send us an email yesterday saying it would be some time this month,” the worker said.
When asked about the categories of workers affected by the payment delays, the staff member noted the issue impacts employees across multiple departments, including nurses, clerks, maintenance staff, and cleaners.
Some workers expressed concern about the batch payment system, where some employees receive payments while others continue to wait for months.
Meanwhile, Medical Director at the SLBMC Dr Shivon Belle-Jarvis met with the staff to address their concerns, telling them that despite funding challenges, the hospital will begin making payments, starting today, to persons eligible to receive the back pay.
Dr Belle-Jarvis emphasized her open-door policy for staff with payment concerns, encouraging workers to approach hospital administration directly if they notice others being paid while they are not.
Following the meeting, President of the Antigua and Barbuda Public Service Association (ABPSA), Joan Peters, said staff agreed to give the hospital until the end of week to honour the verbal agreement.
“I am one of those persons that I like to be clear and give people the opportunity to do what they say and so they promise that they’re going to pay between now and Friday, we have to give them that opportunity,” Peters said.
In response to Tuesday’s demonstration, the Board of Directors and Executive Management of SLBMC issued a statement acknowledging the industrial action and apologizing for any distress caused to staff and patients.
The statement confirmed that prior to the demonstration, the hospital had communicated with all staff regarding the outstanding retroactive pay, stating that resolving this matter was a top priority for the institution.
“In response to the concerns raised and after further review, a commitment was made to pay all eligible staff at once, and by the end of the week,” the statement read. “We believe this approach will better address the needs of our staff and bring resolution to this matter more effectively.”
The hospital also expressed regret for the disruption caused by the industrial action while reaffirming their commitment to resolving the matter swiftly.
“The well-being of both our staff and the patients we serve is of paramount importance. We appreciate the patience and understanding of the public,” the statement concluded.
