Unions reject gov't's waiver proposal
Published:Friday | May 20, 2011 | 12:00 AM
Edmond Campbell, Senior Staff Reporter
AT LEAST two unions representing public-sector workers have shot down a Government proposal to implement the 2009 seven per cent wage increase this year on condition that workers forgo retroactive sums due.
A source who attended Tuesday's meeting between unions representing public-sector workers and the Government informed The Gleaner that the administration was pushing for the acceptance of that proposal.
The Nurses Association of Jamaica (NAJ) says it will not countenance any suggestion to give up retroactive payments due to its members.
At the same time, the Jamaica Air Traffic Controllers' Association (JACTA) has signalled that non-payment of retroactive money would not be entertained by its members.
demanding
NAJ president Anthonette Patterson argued that the administration came to Tuesday's meeting with a "clear-cut decision".
"This is not something we are asking you for, this is something we are demanding," Patterson said, in relation to retroactive money.
"I have only one advice from my almost 3,000 members: Madame president, you sign on nothing else other than our dollar value. I am only a servant of my members; I speak what they say."
Kurt Solomon, president of JACTA said the 90 members his organisation represents were not willing to waive retroactive payments.
According to Solomon, the Jamaica Civil Aviation Authority has indicated that it has set aside sums to make retroactive payments to air traffic controllers.
"Our company has set aside the money inclusive of those payments," Solomon insisted.
He said the company had written to the Government indicating that it needed no financial support from central government to make the retroactive payments to workers.
"Our patience has run out. We are planning to do something about the situation," he cautioned.
Solomon also complained that his association was not invited to Tuesday's meeting between the Government and unions representing public-sector workers.
President of the National Workers Union (NWU) Vincent Morrison was more guarded in his comments.
Asked whether his union was willing to give up the retroactive sums due to public-sector workers, Morrison said he would go to the membership for a response.
However, he said the membership had already instructed the union to insist on the payment of retroactive sums, and the implementation of the seven per cent increase due from April 2009.
Morrison said the workers were not demanding payment immediately, but wanted the Government to put a payment plan on the table.