The island’s teachers yesterday gave the government another week to settle their pay dispute, averting a strike that would have thrown the new school term which starts tomorrow into disarray.

“I would assure parents that the teachers will turn up at their posts, but as to how long we will continue with that state of normalcy I am not going to say much on that,” Jamaica Teachers Association (JTA) president, Hopeton Henry, told the Sunday Observer.

“Monday when we communicate this officially to the government, they will be getting a new deadline up till the 11th of September or even earlier to conclude these talks,” Henry said, following a General Council meeting during which members voted to reject the government’s latest offer on salary and fringe benefits.

“The entire package was presented and they voted on the entire package and the feeling is that government should make an improved offer,” Henry insisted.

“We are giving the government more time. We are saying improve your offer to us and let us try to bring this negotiation to an end as quickly as possible,” Henry added.

Commenting guardedly on yesterday’s talks, the JTA president said the meeting discussed the wage package as a whole and there were “some items that are a sticking point which we are going to continue to look at”.

In a statement to the media after the council meeting, the JTA said its “Action Committee would be kept on high alert”.

“…If you are on high alert it means you are organised and in readiness for what the committee is constituted to do,” public relations officer for the association, Garfield Higgins, insisted.

In the meantime, Finance and Planning State Minister Fitz Jackson, contacted by the Sunday Observer, declined to comment on the talks, stating that he would only do so when an official response was given to the ministry on Monday.

“I will reserve comment until when we get a direct response from the JTA,” Jackson said.