The Antigua Trades and Labour Union (AT&LU) says recent negotiations with the Antigua Public Utilities Authority (APUA) and the government have been “positive”, raising hopes that several long-running disputes affecting workers could be resolved.

AT&LU President Bernard de Nully said a key meeting on Wednesday with Utilities Minister Melford Nicholas and senior APUA management lasted into the evening and resulted in progress on several issues raised by the union.

However, he said details of the proposals cannot yet be disclosed, as they must first be presented to APUA employees.

“The monthly staff at APUA have made it clear that they want to be fully involved in the negotiations,” de Nully said. “I must first take the proposals back to the workers and secure their acceptance before anything is made public.”

A meeting of the bargaining unit has been scheduled for Friday afternoon at the Multi-Purpose Cultural Centre at Perry Bay, where union leaders will outline the proposals and gather feedback from staff.

The talks follow protests by APUA workers earlier this week over what they described as slow progress in negotiations with management.

Workers have been calling for solutions to several longstanding issues, including delayed pension payments for retirees and a 10% salary increase.

Some former employees have reportedly waited years to receive their pension benefits, making the issue a major concern for both retired and current workers.

Despite tensions that led to Monday’s protest, de Nully praised Mr Nicholas for helping to move discussions forward and assisting in reaching a tentative understanding.

The outcome of Friday’s meeting will determine whether workers accept the proposals and whether the dispute moves closer to resolution.