The Ministry of Labour and Social Security has scheduled an emergency meeting with the management of the National Water Commission (NWC) and the unions representing its unionised staff for today at 2:00 pm at the ministry in an effort to reduce tensions over fringe benefits claims.

The four unions – Jamaica Association of Local Government Officers, Bustamante Industrial Trade Union, the National Workers Union, and the Union of Private and Public Employees (formerly JUPOPE) – are demanding that the NWC management increase its offers on their claims for improvements in fringe benefits, including meal, boots and shoes allowances, which are still outstanding from the previous negotiations.

The NWC has said, however, that it is not in a position to substantially increase the allowances.

The NWC management has referred to recent Government audits of its revenues, which have shown that, despite a massive narrowing of its operating deficit, its losses continue to be too high to accommodate significant increases in the rates paid to the workers.

The NWC workers have received the same seven per cent pay increase as other public sector employees under the unions’ 2015/2017 agreement with the Government.