UPDATE: JTA unable to meet with Gov’t
KINGSTON, Jamaica — The Jamaica Teachers’ Association (JTA) say it is unable to meet with the Ministry of Labour and Social Security after an emergency conciliation meeting was scheduled for this afternoon.
The ministry, by way of a letter, said the meeting, which was to be held at its office commencing at 2:00 pm, is in response to reports of industrial action by government paid teachers islandwide.
In an open letter to the media, the JTA responded by saying it was willing to meet; however, based on their structure they are unable to assemble a team at such short notice.
“We are proposing that we meet tomorrow at 10:00 am. The association hopes that this will be a mutually convenient time for us to meet,” said the JTA.
Teachers yesterday started what sources said is a three-day sick-out to protest against Government’s wage offer of a 16 per cent increase over a four-year period.
It was not clear, however, how many of the 23,000 public school teachers participated in the first day of the sick-out.