Gov’t/Unions to Sign New Agreement on Friday

KINGSTON — Minister of State in the Ministry of Finance and the Public Service, Senator Arthur Williams, announced Tuesday June 21 that a ceremony will be held at Jamaica House on Friday June 24, for the signing of an agreement between the Government and public sector unions who have accepted its pay offer.

The United District Constables Association (UDCA) became the fifth group to confirm acceptance of the Government’s offer to settle the outstanding seven percent wage increase issue, Tuesday. This means that a majority of the nine groups have now agreed to the offer.

The Jamaica Confederation of Trade Unions, which is the umbrella organization for trade unions, the Police Officers Association, the Island Special Constabulary Force Officers Association and the Island Special Constabulary Force Association (Rank and File), had already confirmed their acceptance of the offer.

[ Related Story: Four Public Sector Groups Accept Gov't's Pay Offer ]

Senator Williams has expressed his appreciation to these unions for their co-operation and timely response to the Government’s offer.

He has also communicated with the groups that have confirmed acceptance, to attend a signing ceremony of the new Heads of Agreement, on Friday, June 24, at 2 p.m. at the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM), Jamaica House.

The Government’s offer is to pay the seven percent wage increase, due from 2009, as follows:

1. Institute the wage increase on the regular payday in September, 2011;

2. Of the five months retroactive amount for April to August, 2011, to pay one month’s salary with the September payment and four month’s salary in December, 2011;

3. Pay the outstanding amounts for the two years – 2009 to 2010 and 2010 to 2011, totalling $21.1 billion, in five equal installments of $4.22 billion in May and October, 2012, May and October, 2013 and May, 2014.

By Balford Henry, JIS Reporter & Editor