Civil Service Association breaks ranks with other public sector unions Loop Jamaica

Black Immigrant Daily News

In a clear sign that they are not all on the same page, the Jamaica Civil Service Association (JCSA) is calling out other unions that are part of the Jamaica Confederation of Trade Unions (JCTU), for their perceived delay in fully accepting the terms of the restructured compensation package for Government workers.

The JCSA has stated that its membership wants to be compensated now, and is calling for all the other unions representing public sector workers to sign the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that will facilitate the payment.

The workers have been offered a 17.5 per cent salary increase over three years, effective April 1. On Tuesday, the Minister of Finance and the Public Service (MoF&PS), Dr Nigel Clarke, warned the workers that any further delay on their part could result in them not being paid the retroactive amounts during the current fiscal year which ends March 31, 2023. He was speaking in the House of Representatives.

The JCSA in a statement from its President, O’Niel Grant, on Wednesday, pointed to Clarke’s presentation.

“The JCSA is now taking steps to act on the mandate received from its members to sign the MOU once we are satisfied that the concerns raised with the MoF&PS have been addressed,” the association said.

Grant argued that the JCSA is a sovereign union representing directly, some 30,000 members, and by extension 50,000 public sector workers, and that having a duty of care and being a responsible union, “should do nothing to deprive the workers of their fair compensation in a timely manner”.

While speaking in the House, the finance minister warned that if no agreement is reached with the unions during the current fiscal year, the Government could not guarantee that the workers would receive their back pay next year.

“It is absolutely imperative that we conclude in sufficient time that the payments that are due for 2022 are made in the fiscal year 2022/23,” said Clarke. He cited that eight months have passed already, and January will make it 10.

“Ten months of what we proverbially call back pay is a large amount that is being budgeted for in this fiscal year. If it is not paid in this fiscal year, the space to accommodate it in the next fiscal year does not exist,” said Clarke.

The minister tabled the First Supplementary Estimates for 2022/23, which shows that $60 billion has been added to the Budget, pushing it to $972 billion. Of the increased amount, $21 billion has been allocated to make the salary payments.

Meanwhile, JCTU President, Helen Davis-Whyte, has said that five of 11 unions are ready to sign the offer, and Clarke has said the ministry is “ready to commence the payment of the newly-aligned wages…”

For his part, Grant said the JCSA has indicated to the ministry, the other members of the JCTU, “and the wider Jamaica that we are prepared to sign, given the conditions previously expressed by the association as it relates to matters of conversion, and for the groups to receive the necessary information for them to determine where they are in the restructuring exercise.”

He said the JCSA “views with great concern, reports that member unions of the confederation have expressed uneasiness with signing, notwithstanding the fact that the issues that were raised at the level of the confederation were brought to the MoF&PS for attention.”

Grant also revealed that following an executive committee meeting on Tuesday, November 8, the decision was taken that the JCSA should seek to move ahead with ensuring that the workers it represents are able to start receiving the new salary in the shortest time possible.

NewsAmericasNow.com