ALTHOUGH Ministry of Labour conciliators agreed to meet next week with the management of the HEART Trust/NTA and union leaders to settle a dispute over wages, striking workers at the institution’s 26 academies and vocational training centres say they will remain off the job until an agreement has been reached.

For the second straight day yesterday, hundreds of students stayed at home while their instructors and other school personnel picketed academies and centres islandwide.

Patrick Smith, senior secretary for member services at the Jamaica Teachers’ Association (JTA), which represents some of the workers, told the Observer yesterday that the unions were prepared to “wait out” the NTA.

“A letter was received from the Labour Ministry signalling their willingness to meet with us today (yesterday). But the meeting could not be facilitated because of previously made plans and we have indicated that the earliest possible meeting date is between Monday and Wednesday of next week,” Smith told the Observer, adding that until then, the approximately 1,000 workers would not cross the picket lines.

The workers want a 20 per cent increase in year one and 10 per cent in year two, but the institution’s management has offered 13 per cent in year one and seven per cent in year two.