By Trudy Simpson, Staff ReporterA STRIKE by the island's 20,000 public sector teachers loomed larger last night as negotiations with the Government for improved wage and fringe benefits reached a stalemate.
Jamaica Teachers' Association (JTA) officials were unwilling to confirm plans for any industrial action but stressed that normality could not be guaranteed in classrooms as of today.
The JTA says it has already advised its members of "the way forward", as outlined by its Action Committee on Tuesday, and asked parents to be on alert for any action.
"The association has been patient over the period of the negotiations and up to now has prevailed on its members to refrain from any protest action. We cannot, however, guarantee the stability of the education system from now onward," JTA president, Sadie Comrie, told The Gleaner last night, following a meeting to discuss a letter sent to the JTA by the Ministry of Finance.
The Ministry's letter came nearly 45 minutes after the 5:00 p.m. deadline and, although the JTA had hinted then that a strike was likely if no improved offer was made by the Government, the JTA said the letter contained nothing new.
"The JTA has not received any response from Government that represents a better offer than the one that was on the table at the time of the meetings in the parish last Thursday and Friday," Mrs. Comrie said.
She said the letter simply tried to give the appearance of an increase by adding a 2.15 per cent, offered by Government on teachers' yearly increments, to the three per cent being offered in each year of the 2002-2004 contract period. She said that the 2.15 per cent cannot count as an increase because it should have been implemented three years ago during the last wage negotiations.
But Fitz Jackson, State Minister in the Ministry of Finance, insisted that the percentage could be counted as an increase, as could the six per cent over two years because analyses showed that the percentage on the increments would cost Government over $645 million per annum and the six per cent over two years, another $405 million.
Minister Jackson declined to discuss the contents of the letter presented to the JTA yesterday or to comment on JTA concerns that its members have not been given a clear and detailed description of what the realignment of their salaries to 80 per cent of private sector market means.
"I don't want to comment on the letter. When I get a response from them, then I can comment," he said.
The 20,000 plus teachers have been in a militant mood since reviewing the wage offer during parish meetings held last Thursday and Friday.
Incensed at what is being offered for the 2002-2004 contract period, several members proposed last week that teachers strike immediately to get a better response from Government.
However, the JTA asked its members to hold strain until it had met to discuss the responses and recommendations of thousands of teachers and decide how to proceed in light of the overwhelming rejection by teachers of Government's offer.
Included in the offer made by Government is an increase of three per cent in year one and three per cent in year two on teachers' basic pay.
Minister Jackson said yesterday that he hoped the teachers would not strike.
"I am trusting that good sense will prevail on the part of the JTA and there won't be any need for such consequences," he said, adding the door for discussion is always open.
