Gov’t to pay teachers first year of rejected 16% wage offer — JTA
KINGSTON, Jamaica — The Jamaica Teachers’ Association (JTA) says it has been informed by the Ministry of Finance and Planning that it intends to pay the first year of the 2017-2019 wage offer with the March salaries despite the fact that the teachers have rejected the recent 16 per cent wage increase from the government.
Delegates of the Jamaica Teachers’ Association voted to reject the government’s 16 per cent increase on basic salaries last week Saturday at the Wolmer’s Boys’ school in Kingston.
They also voted to reject the proposal of a negotiation cycle of fours instead of the two years which currently obtains.
“We wish to inform our members that the JTA has not agreed to any such payment plan,” said the JTA in a release today.
“Further, the JTA believes that this move is unprecedented in light of the fact that the current salary negotiation has not been concluded nor a Heads of Agreement signed”.
“If this should happen, we view it as tantamount to union busting and a breach of Collective Bargaining Rights”, said the JTA.
