A total of two thirds of the 6.9 percent cut in Government spending in this year’s Budget is down to a Civil Service agreement to take a day off a month, a union leader said yesterday.

And Kevin Grant, president of the white collar BPSU, said: “We were in fact pleased that there were no job cuts to the Civil Service for the Budget year 2014-15.

“However, it is significant to note that 4.6 percent of the 6.9 percent of savings in the Budget can be attributed to the memorandum of understanding signed by the Bermuda Trades Union Congress (BTUC) in July 2013, showing that public sector workers are committed to the shared sacrifice.”

Mr Grant — the first leader of a major trade union to give his reaction to last Friday’s financial blueprint for the coming year and beyond — added that growth, investment and public spending cuts had all been under the spotlight as Bermuda fights to find a way out of recession.

He added: “There still needs to be much more serious and specific detail to target realistic initiatives that invigorate the dialogue necessary for economic recovery.”

And he said the fact that Government has still had to borrow to cover an annual Budget shortfall needed urgent attention.

Mr Grant added: “The much more worrisome issue, without a doubt, which should be of concern to the whole country, is the burgeoning deficit at $267 million.

“This of course is a matter of high priority and must be addressed.

“The BPSU is well aware of this and has consistently advocated for consultation, collaboration and meaningful dialogue among all stakeholders to forge a path to sustainability.”

Mr Grant said the BTUC had also engaged Government over proposals to hive off some Government sector services to the private sector, including mutualisation, where former public sector workers take a stake in their new employers.

He added: “It was reiterated that it is imperative that public sector unions, as major stakeholders, be kept aware and considered as critical partners in discussions on policies and new legislation that will have an impact on our members.”

Mr Grant said the SAGE Commission’s report on ways to cut Government spending, as well proposals to reform Civil Service management and plans to downsize or restructure, were all of “high concern” for public sector workers.

“The Minister himself mentioned that mutualisation is something that has never happened before in Bermuda, so surely there will be the need to have further discussion on these subjects because, although mutualisation may be successful in other jurisdictions, we must be assured that our infrastructure will allow us to embrace this initiative and then we must decide if it something that can work for the benefit of the country without making job cuts to the public sector.

“All of these matters will have to be discussed in detail, at length, collectively and collaboratively.”

Mr Grant added: “The BPSU remain committed and will continue to fight for our members and the workers of this country.

“We will not remain idle and intend to proactively prepare ourselves to address the many issues plaguing the labour environment so that we can provide the best representation for our members.”