Public Sector compensation deadlock takes spotlight at debate

By: Admin

Image caption: JLP and PNP Election Debate

The Peoples National Party is promising that, should it form the next government, it will make a better offer to public sector workers than the zero per presented by the current JLP administration.

The Ministry of Finance Ministry has offered zero-per cent in year one and 2.5 per cent in years two and three.

Opposition Spokesman on Finance Julian Robinson, speaking Tuesday night during the national political debate, criticised the government for the current offer.

He insisted that there’s room in the budget for more to be offered to public sector workers, highlighting the fact that "the Fiscal Policy Paper, has, in its first year, nine per cent; in the second year, six per cent; in the third year, six per cent."

Against that background, he pointed out that "in the first year, they have offered zero!"

"That it not an offer; we will do better," he declared.

Additionally, said, by lifting the income tax threshold to $3.5 million (another policy commitment of the PNP), "we are easing the pressure... on our nurses... on our policemen. We're easing the pressure so that more money will be in their pockets.

He claimed that the Jamaica Labour Party "has a history of dealing with civil servants with disrespect," adding that "you right now have two sets of civil servants in the same office, doing the same thing, and earning different salaries."

That and other anamolies, that he said arose from the Compensation Review Programme, have not yet been addressed by the government.

In response, Finance Minister Fayval Williams said the Andrew Holness led administration will continue negotiating with unions representing public sector workers to reach an agreement.

"This is the government that has given the public sector the largest wage increase in the history of Jamaica," she declared, charging that, under previous PNP aministrations, public sector workers were subjected to "wage freeze after wage freeze."

Regarding the immediate matter at hand, she said the government reamaied "committted to continue negotiating with our unions."

She said the Prime Minister had promised that "we will get to a point that is satisfactory for the public sector workers and Jamaica as a whole."

Join the Discussion