Radha Krishna Sadien: "The Gaps Have Widened Instead of Narrowing"

Radha Krishna Sadien, a negotiator for the State Employees Federation and the Mauritius Labour Federation, expressed his severe criticism regarding the recently published salary report, stating that it fails to meet the expectations of government employees. He pointed out "deep injustices and serious inconsistencies in the calculations presented."

He emphasized that the National Minimum Wage has evidently not been aligned with the guaranteed minimum wage. "On one hand, the government provided a top-up for the private sector, while on the other hand, public sector employees have been left behind. We demand explanations as soon as possible," he asserted. According to him, the report clearly does not address the expectations of public servants.

Radhakrishna Sadien also questioned the "alleged retention promises between high and low salaries" and the ratio being applied. "The gaps have widened. How can the same ratio be applied to a General Worker and a Senior Chief Executive? It's incomprehensible," he lamented.

The union negotiator further criticized the phased payment plan, which proposes 50% starting in January 2026 and 100% by January 2027, as well as the figure of Rs 10.9 billion mentioned for the interim 5% allocation integrated into salaries. "This figure is incorrect. There are no arrears to pay. Why and how can a staggered payment be justified?" he questioned.

Based on his analysis, he stated that all compensations since 2021 have been included in the 2026 report, thus distorting the actual cost of the PRB. "The worker will not receive this difference. Adjustments should have been made starting from 2019," he insisted, warning of a potential misperception among merchants and a risk of price increases. He finally urged the government to provide clear and transparent figures "so that the general public can better understand."