JTA meets with government on salary issues

No. 63 Monday, March 8, 2010
The Jamaica Teachers Association recently held exploratory talks with the Ministry of Finance and the Public Service regarding its 21 point claim for wages and fringe benefits submitted for the period April 2010- March 2012.

    The Association had frank exchanges with State Minister in the Ministry of Finance, Senator, the Hon Authur Williams. The parties are to meet again next week to continue negotiations.
    In the meantime, there are seven (7) items from the Heads of Agreement of 2008-2010 which are outstanding and which were also discussed.
      These include:
    i. Protective Clothing Allowance for teachers in schools with grades one to six
    ii. Retroactive Special Teachers Allowance (STA) ,for Trained Graduates who do not operate a motor car
    iii. The issue relating to Vice Principal's not being counted in the ratio of senior teachers·
    iv. An item speaking to a Responsibility Allowance for Trained Teachers assigned to basic schools
    v. An item to do with the increase in the pool of funds in the Car Revolving Loan Fund
    vi. An allocation which should have been made to the Teacher Professional Development Revolving Loan Fund and,
    vii. An item to do with the allocation of funds for payment of 50 per cent tuition refund.
    The Minister and his team gave an undertaking to have these items properly researched and to provide the JTA with a formal response by Tuesday March 9, 2010.
    ''As President, I am making it abundantly clear that the Association commenced and undertook to continue negotiations and discussions with government in good faith and we once again state categorically that we expect government to honor the commitments made and the agreements signed with the Association."