PSU votes to serve 21-day notice of strike action over SARA transition
BELIZE CITY, Fri. Oct. 31, 2025
This week, President of the Public Service Union (PSU), Dean Flowers confirmed that the union’s general membership has voted to formally declare a trade dispute with the Government of Belize (GoB). As a result, the PSU has been mandated to issue the 21-day notice of industrial action to the Minister of Labour, Hon. Florencio Marin, Jr.
The impasse centers on the Government’s decision to transition the Belize Tax Service Department (BTSD) into a Semi-Autonomous Revenue Authority (SARA). According to the Union, the Government has failed to address the staff’s overriding concerns about the shift. Flowers told Amandala on October 17 that of the almost 240 staff members of the BTSD, approximately 75 have requested transfers into the wider public service, and another 20 or so have informed that they will take the option to resign. The third option provided by the Government is for existing staff to apply for employment within the new SARA structure.
On October 16, the PSU convened a virtual meeting with staff members from the BTSD to address their concerns. During the meeting, the Union reviewed the results of a survey regarding the direction the BTSD staff wanted to take. Flowers informed that about 40% of the BTSD staff responded to the survey, and about 55% of those said they would “no longer tolerate this kind of disrespect” and requested that the PSU “put the wheels in motion to give Government a 21-day notice that we will engage in industrial action.”
Flowers says the Government has chosen to remain silent on the Union’s repeated requests for information and meaningful engagement, and management has instead opted to hold separate meetings with the staff, bypassing the Union’s role as bargaining agent.
The Union reports that it was formally notified of Government’s decision to transition into a SARA on July 16, and affirms that there was never any consultation beforehand, contrary to the requirements of the Public Service Regulations. A position paper submitted to Cabinet in August went unanswered, and a formal request for consultation sent to the Ministry of the Public Service has also received no response. The Union says its inquiries about members’ job security, accrued rights and terms of service have been ignored, fuelling anxiety among employees. In a message to staff, the Union characterized Government’s silence as intentional. “It is a deliberate strategy to delay, demoralize, and pressure us into accepting a flawed process,” it told staff members.
On October 27 when we informed Prime Minister John Briceño in an interview that the staff of the PSU had, by majority vote, supported industrial action, he said he was unaware of the decision, but affirmed that every citizen has a right to strike. He added that he would consult with the Director General of the BTSD. At the same time, the PM maintained that the move to SARA is a beneficial reform. He emphasized that the new structure would enhance service delivery, improve compliance and revenue collection, and introduce performance-based accountability for employees. The timeline announced for the transition to SARA is December 2025.
Flowers has warned that if the impasse is not resolved, the Union is prepared to escalate its response through a phased approach to industrial action, culminating in a full strike if necessary.
