JPS warns of possible disruptions

The Jamaica Public Service Company (JPS) is warning of possible disruptions in its service today and tomorrow following unrest by disgruntled workers who claim they are owed outstanding payments by the company.



It is understood that some workers have already been calling in sick.



The four unions representing the workers are demanding the payments of overtime and redundancy monies which they said have been owed for the period 2001 to 2007.



The issue stems from the interpretation of a clause in an agreement signed by the company and the unions last year, following a Job Evaluation and Compensation Review Exercise conducted by the JPS.



The Union of Clerical Administrative and Supervisory Employees, the Bustamante Industrial Trade Union, the National Workers Union and the University and Allied Workers Union have indicated that there could be industrial action by the workers.



The JPS said on May 6 last year, it signed a Heads of Agreement with the unions settling the payments to be made under the Job Evaluation and Compensation Review Exercise.



The company said the payments had been outstanding for a number of years due to a disagreement between the parties on the interpretation of an August 2003 ruling by the Industrial Disputes Tribunal.



In keeping with the Agreement, the JPS said it made a net payment of approximately $2.3B between May and June last year to employees affected by Reclassification Exercise.



The Company also made a commitment to pay the associated $1.2B in taxes on behalf of the employees.



It said since the payout in 2008, representatives of the unions have met with the JPS management regarding a claim by the unions for additional payments for overtime, based on their interpretation of Clause 3 of the Heads of Agreement.



However, the unions interpretation of the clause differs from that of the company’s management.



A number of meetings were held at the Labour Ministry on the matter, and the JPS said it indicated its acceptance of a proposal for independent arbitration made by the Ministry on October 30 last year.



The unions have refused to have any independent arbitration on the matter.



The JPS said it remains open to discussing the matter with the unions and Labour Ministry officials in an effort to arrive at a mutually agreeable solution in the shortest possible time.