APUA staff will decide Friday whether to accept proposals from recent negotiations with management.

The discussions involved the Antigua Trades and Labour Union and the Antigua Public Utilities Authority. Union leaders say the talks ended on a positive note.

According to union president Bernard de Nully, progress was made on several key worker concerns.

The meeting took place Wednesday and lasted into the early evening. In addition, officials from the government joined the discussions.

Among them was Utilities Minister Melford Nicholas. He worked with senior APUA management and union representatives to move the talks forward.

De Nully described the outcome as constructive. However, he said the union will not reveal details yet.

First, union leaders must present the proposals to APUA workers. After that, employees will decide whether to accept the terms.

“The staff made it clear they want to be involved,” de Nully explained. Therefore, the union will consult them before any public announcement.

To ensure transparency, the union scheduled a meeting for Friday afternoon. The session will take place at the Multi-Purpose Cultural Centre.

During the meeting, leaders will outline the proposals. Then, workers will give feedback and discuss the next steps.

The negotiations follow protests earlier this week. At that time, APUA workers took to the streets to express frustration.

Workers said talks with management had moved too slowly. As a result, tensions grew among staff.

Several major issues remain at the center of the dispute. For example, employees want long-delayed pension payments for retirees.

In addition, workers are seeking a 10 percent salary increase.

Many retirees have reportedly waited years for pension benefits. Consequently, the issue has become a major concern for both current and former employees.

Despite the tensions, de Nully praised the minister’s role in the talks. He said Nicholas helped push the discussions toward a possible solution.

Meanwhile, workers now hold the final say. Their decision on Friday will determine the next step.

If staff approve the proposals, the dispute could move closer to resolution. However, if workers reject the deal, negotiations may continue.