 The membership of the St. Lucia Trade Union Federation, TUF, has entered into an agreement with the government of St. Lucia to defer the salary payment increases and other benefits due to the impacts of COVID-19 on the economy and government revenue. The agreement signed by the various trade unions and public sector associations, comprised in the Trade Union Federation, was entered into on 21 July 2021. The TUF, represented by President Julian Monroe's and the government negotiating team, represented by Chairman Van Gill, agreed that the payment of the 1% salary increase due to officers in grades 1 to 18 from April 2020 be further deferred to April 2022. It was also agreed that the associated retroactive payments be paid as a lump sum by December 2022. The parties also decided that the payment of the 2% salary increase due to grades 1 to 18 from April 2021 be deferred to March 2023 and the associated retroactive payments be paid as a lump sum by March 2023. The agreement provides for a 100% waiver of income tax on the retroactive payments. The agreement for the deferment of salary increases does not replace the collective bargaining agreements currently in place between the government of St. Lucia and the affiliates of the St. Lucia Trade Union Federation for the period 2019 to 2022, rather it seeks to detail the implementation of the provisions with respect to the agreed salary increases.