MOUNTAIN SPRING, Trelawny — Immediate past president of the Jamaica Teachers’ Association (JTA) Leighton Johnson has sought to clarify the role he played in the union’s acceptance of the current three-year wage agreement with the Government — a move that has caused a rift within the 60-year-old association.

However, Johnson, in his speech on Monday night as outgoing president, made it clear that his actions were with good intent and he is therefore hoping for unity within the union that represents approximately 19,000 of the 25,000 teachers in the public sector.

“It is my hope that we can move forward in unity, recognising that the agreement, while not perfect, was aimed towards improving the conditions of our educators and advancing the overall mission of the Jamaica Teachers’ Association.

“I wish to reiterate that my actions were guided by the authority invested in me, the commitment to our members and the long-term vision of strengthening the teaching profession in Jamaica. I stand by my decision to sign the agreement which was in the best interest of our teachers,” argued Johnson, who is the principal of Muschett High School.

On March 13 last year, the JTA signed an agreement to accept the wage offer presented by the Ministry of Finance and the Public Service that would guarantee a 20 per cent minimum increase in basic salary after tax. The agreement took effect April 1, 2022.

However, on the day of the signing of the compensation review memorandum of understanding, the interest of onlookers was sparked when La Sonja Harrison, who was president at the time, reportedly abandoned her members when she made herself unavailable at the point when signatures were to be affixed to the document.

She reportedly did so after asking Johnson who was the president-elect at the time to do the signing.

On Monday night, Johnson told members in attendance at the 60th investiture ceremony held at the Coral Ocean Spring Resort in Trelawny that his participation in the ceremony was done with the blessings of Harrison.

“In signing the agreement, colleagues, I acted within the framework provided by the association’s governing document and with the explicit endorsement of the president at the time. This decision was made at the time with the utmost regard for the collective well-being of our members and in alignment with the principles and values of the Jamaica Teachers’ Association,” stated the immediate past president.

“So, I understand that that decision sparked or invoked diverse reactions and I was quite prepared to engage you openly in a transparent dialogue with our members and anybody to address the concerns,” added Johnson.

The issue, which has resulted in a division within the JTA, was further exacerbated when in July, Harrison filed a lawsuit in the Supreme Court aimed at nullifying the agreement with the Government.

In the suit, Harrison contended that the special delegates vote held virtually in March last year to accept the wage offer presented by the Ministry of Finance and the Public Service was in breach of the JTA’s constitution.

Eighty per cent of the delegates who attended the virtual meeting voted to accept the three-year agreement.

Meanwhile, newly installed president of the association Mark Smith, in his presidential address, said he supported the move taken by Harrison to vote against the package as what teachers were carrying home was unacceptable.

“Fundamentally, it was unjust and was not in the best interest of the vast majority of our teachers. If you want the migration to stop, pay our teachers. This is a quality-of-life issue. It is an issue of social justice. We must understand that it is starving our teachers in ways that are difficult to recover from,”” stated Smith, principal of Munro College, to an extended round of applause.