'Woeful deception' - Police unions reject public sector compensation proposal

The three main police unions in Jamaica have rejected the government's proposal for changing how public sector workers are paid, claiming that their members will take home less money. 

“The figures proposed appear attractive on the surface but is in fact a woeful deception,” said the groups in a joint statement issued Tuesday.

The Police Officers Association, that represents ranks from superintendent to commissioner, the Jamaica Police Federation which advocates for ranks below, and the United District Constables Association say they will not ratify the public sector compensation proposal. 

"The groups believe it is unacceptable and not in the best interest of its members and by extension, the nation," the  statement said, noting that "thorough" consultations and an actuarial analysis were done.  

They have also accused the Government of approaching the restructuring exercise with “considerable ambiguity”. “The decisions made on behalf of the police were done by persons with limited knowledge of police operations and structure and this has severely eroded the groups confidence in the Government. The groups believe that the Government's position is one of self-interest."

The groups say the compensation review "should acknowledge the sacrifices, reflect on the value and importance of the police in the society".

The groups are to meet with respective membership to discuss the findings and “further actions”.

The joint statement was issued under the names of Senior Superintendent Wayne Cameron, chairman of Police Officers Association, Corporal Rohan James, who heads the Police Federation and District Constable Damian Pryce, president of the United District Constables Association. 

The statement did not cite any recent meetings with the Ministry of Finance and portfolio minister Dr Nigel Clarke has suggested that some of the figures being used by unions may not be accurate. 

The Holness administration was hit with a series of protests in May by various categories of public sector workers who are angry about the compensation review.

Air traffic controllers and employees of the National Water Commission and the National Housing Trust took industrial action. The 30,000-strong Jamaica Civil Service Association withdrew a notice to take industrial action. 

In a statement on May 15, Dr Clarke said consultations with unions over the restructuring of compensation for government workers should be wrapped up within the next six months. 

"Please take us at our word, that no public sector employee will be worse off," Clarke said, admitting the possibility that "there could be cases where the proposed changes lead to less net pay". 

But he said if it comes to that, "we will work to find a fix."

The new compensation structure was slated for implementation by April 2021 but that was affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The implementation is a target of the current budget that runs up March 2023.

Clarke has argued that the review is crucial to improving efficiency in government, noting the current system of 40 bargaining units, 345 wages grades and 40 allowances.

He said the reform will create a new compensation system that is simple, fair, consistent, transparent, efficient, fiscally sustainable and that better allows the Government to attract and retain the talent needed to run a modern bureaucracy.

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