THE Jamaica Teachers Association (JTA) says the ball is in the government’s court to avert a possible strike by teachers at the start of the new school year next week, even as it rejected the latest offer put on the table at yesterday’s meeting with junior finance minister Fitz Jackson.

The teachers rejected the latest offer a day after Information Minister Colin Campbell predicted a smooth start to the new school year, despite the strike threat.

“The ball is in the court of the government and whatever we plan is still on schedule so we are hoping that when next we meet we have an offer before us,” said Hopeton Henry, the new president of the JTA.

“The offer is, however, now closer to what we are requesting but not at the level for which we are satisfied as yet,” Henry said. He added that a number of the items on the teachers’ 24-point claim were dropped by government.

Henry, although declining to say what yesterday’s offer was, told the Observer that talks were continuing, but that the offer was still not satisfactory.

“We are feeling comfortable with the discussion but not the offer,” Henry said.

Henry, in the meantime, said that in order to avoid getting a different offer in writing other than what has been discussed, as the JTA claimed happened last week, a letter was sent immediately to Finance Minister Omar Davies outlining the understanding of the teachers’ union of the new offer.

“What we did from the JTA side is to clarify the points that were discussed and send it in a letter, which also states what would constitute a reasonable offer before a settlement is reached,” Henry said last night.

He said the letter was to basically reinstate the teacher’s position as was discussed last week with Minister Davies.

And while he remained optimistic at the direction the talks were taking, Henry expressed a desire to reach an agreement before the action committee meets tomorrow.

Yesterday, at the signing of a new wage agreement with the Nurses Association of Jamaica, Minister Davies expressed confidence that the negotiations for all public sector workers would be completed in a very short period in order to maintain stability.

Henry said that he too hoped that the negotiations could be completed shortly to avoid any disruption in the system.

“I cannot predict down the road what an offer could be or what a non-offer would be. But in case a new offer is not presented the most that could go to the meeting (action committee) is what was presented in discussions, but I am not prepared to do that,” he said.

Henry was, however, optimistic that an amicable agreement would be reached soon as both sides were pushing for an early end to the negotiations.

“When last we spoke this afternoon he (Davies) would have been going over the documents we sent to him. Now we are open for discussions…our phone lines are open and it is possible he could call me tonight (last night) or in the morning and I am also open to call him,” Henry said yesterday.