THE island’s teachers have rejected government’s latest offer to settle the matter of outstanding salary increases due from the 2008-2010 contract period, likening it to extortion.

Trade unions representing public sectors workers have been locked in meetings with the government for the past two weeks seeking to iron out a timetable in which outstanding salary increases would be paid.

Both parties agreed on October this year, but according to the Jamaica Teachers’ Association (JTA), which has over 24,000 members, government has proposed that the workers forego the increased amounts for one of the two years for which they are owed.

In a release to the media yesterday afternoon, the JTA said it deplored the action and urged the government to be an “honourable debtor”.

“The Association deplores the action of the Minister of Finance in tacking to the October implementation of payment of the seven per cent, that teachers and other public sector workers forego one year’s accumulated arrears. This act is tantamount to extortion and is rejected.

“The Government has always asserted, since its unilaterally imposed wage freeze, that it stands committed to honouring its debt. In light of its current offer that assertion now rings hollow,” the association said.

In 2008, Government agreed to increase the salaries of public sector workers by 15 per cent in year one and seven per cent in year two, but citing the economic fallout from the global recession which hit later that year, it implemented a wage freeze.

Yesterday, the JTA said its members had suffered severely during the period of the wage freeze and was not prepared to surrender any benefit duly owed to it.

“The JTA therefore calls on the Government to honour the legally binding agreement to pay the teachers and other public sector workers,” the release said.

The JTA statement followed a resolution of a similar tone released by the association’s St Elizabeth chapter on Saturday.