MORE than 1,000 workers employed to the 26 academies and vocational training centres operated by the HEART Trust/NTA went on strike yesterday, following a breakdown in wage talks with the government.

Patrick Smith, senior secretary for member services at the Jamaica Teachers Association (JTA), which represents some of the workers, told the Observer that the decision to strike was taken after the organisation’s management failed to meet the demands, despite an ultimatum issued on Monday.

“Our original claim was 30 per cent in year one and 25 per cent in year two, but on Monday we revised that claim to 20 per cent in year one and 10 in year two. At Monday’s meeting, we agreed on a deadline for settlement and said we will have you back on Wednesday so that you can reconsider,” Smith said yesterday.

He said when the trust’s representatives returned to the bargaining table yesterday they were not prepared to meet the demands of the workers.

“When they came this morning (yesterday), the situation was unchanged; rather than a revised offer the only revision was in terms of the permutation of the figures. ,” Smith said.

“That was a signal to us that there was not going to be any change in the position and therefore the meeting ended and we instructed the workers to initiate industrial action,” Smith told the Observer.

He said all categories of staff – clerical, administrative, instructional, janitorial and other supporting employees – would be staying off the job today.

“We will have closer to a thousand who will not be at work.” Smith said.

In the meantime, Smith said union representatives were not prepared to buy the explanation that the increase being requested could not be granted because of budgetary constraints.

However, in a release issued to the media last night, the Heart Trust said the offer it has put on the table will see the wage bill of the National Training Agency rising to $2.5 billion for the 2007/2008 fiscal year.

The Trust said it was awaiting the intervention of the Ministry of Labour in the dispute so negotiations could resume.