On June 2, Gov. Albert Bryan Jr. signed the Collective Bargaining Agreement between the government and the Virgin Islands Labor Union for non-supervisory employees at the Department of Agriculture.
“Negotiating salary increases and increasing pay scales for much-needed positions in the Department of Agriculture not only benefits the employees and the department, but it also benefits our entire Virgin Islands community by enhancing the efficiency and the services Agriculture can provide primarily for farmers and the territory in general,” the governor said.
“Our agreement with OVILU is just one of many examples of the Bryan-Roach Administration continuing to put the people of this territory first along with investing in our infrastructure and our future,” said Bryan.
The new Collective Bargaining Agreement covers the period of Oct. 1, 2019, to Sept. 30, 2024.
“The Department of Agriculture has had a difficult time recruiting and retaining employees in various positions, such as heavy equipment operator and welder. The increased salaries for these and other positions will greatly assist the agency in meeting its staffing goals and improving the quality of life for the affected employees,” said Joss Springette Esq., chief negotiator at the Office of Collective Bargaining.
