Manchester teachers stage wage protests

Classes at several institutions across Manchester were disrupted this morning after teachers staged sickouts and a peaceful protest of the wage offer made by the Government. 

Placard bearing teachers stood outside the gates of Manchester High School in Mandeville this morning for an hour, declaring their unwillingness to accept a remuneration package that cannot sustain them in the current economic climate. 

Contact teacher at the institution Shelly-Ann Bruce Reid, said teachers deserve much more than the Government is offering and they will continue to reject the proposals if they remain unfavourable. 

"We won't be disrupting classes today. We are just sending a message to the Government to let them know that we the teachers of Manchester High School are not pleased with what we are getting and we would like them to know that we will be rejecting the offer that has been put on the table."

While classes at the institution were still held, schools such as Mandeville Primary and Winston Jones High had a number of students returning home as more than half of the teaching staff did not show up. 

According to  reports, only five of the 48 teachers at Winston Jones High School showed up for school. 

Principal of Mandeville Primary School, Howard Salmon, said only 29 per cent of the teachers were present this morning. 

He said, however, that students who attended school were still accommodated online and face to face.

The government, in December, started the implementation of the public sector compensation review to overhaul the structure of salaries in the public service. 

However, teachers believe that a greater percentage of the budget should go towards an increase in salaries for them. 

Despite warnings that payments cannot be made from the 2023/2024 budget should workers miss the March deadline to settle, teachers remain resolute in their decision to lobby for more. 

-Tamara Bailey

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