Signing of Public Sector Pay Agreement Postponed
June 24, 2011The Full Story
KINGSTON — Signing of an agreement between the Ministry of Finance and the Public Service and unions representing Government workers has been postponed.
The agreement was scheduled to be signed Friday (June 24) at Jamaica House, but Prime Minister Bruce Golding, who returned from a one week vacation Thursday (June 22), has advised that the signing has been deferred.
He explained that this was to facilitate consultations being carried out by the Jamaica Teachers’ Association (JTA), the Nurses Association of Jamaica (NAJ) and the Jamaica Medical Doctors Association (JMDA) with their members this weekend.
The contract will cover the implementation of the seven percent wage increase for Public Sector workers this year, and a schedule for payment of the outstanding retroactive wages due from fiscal years 2009/10 and 2010/11.
In a release from the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM), Mr. Golding said that following discussions with a number of the representative groups which have already accepted the Government’s payment schedule, he decided that, in keeping with the spirit of goodwill and the constructive engagement that has attended the latest round of negotiations, it was necessary to allow for the fullest consultation to take place among the remaining three groups.
The Prime Minister said he hoped this facilitation would have a positive impact on the groups’ acceptance of the Government’s proposals, and an appreciation of the obligation of his administration to exercise fiscal constraints to preserve the gains made so far, in restoring the economy to a path which can guarantee sustained economic growth.
Mr. Golding has extended his appreciation to the fifteen (15) trade organisations which have already accepted the proposal – 11 of which are major unions under the umbrella of the Jamaica Confederation of Trade Unions, as well as the Police Officers Association, the Island Special Constabulary Force Officers Association; Island Special Constabulary Force Association (Rank and File) and the United District Constables Association.
By Balford Henry, JIS Reporter & Editor