By Trudy Simpson, Staff ReporterGOVERNMENT MAY push back the July date set for teachers to begin getting adjusted salaries, calculated to compare with 75 per cent margin of the salaries of persons in the private sector.
Cordell Braham, Director of Public Relations at the Ministry of Finance and Planning, said Monday that the July date previously mentioned and confirmed by the Jamaica Teachers' Association (JTA), was based on whether or not teachers accepted the 2002 to 2004 salaries and benefits package.
He said that the Ministry could not be certain of the date for first payment of the salaries because certain conditions in the wage and benefits claim were still being negotiated, among them teachers' graduate allowances and leave benefits.
"The teachers, through the JTA, have accepted Government's wage package but did so with conditions. Those are still being negotiated. That schedule of payment was made on the condition that there was a settlement. Once the negotiations are completed, they'll have to adjust these dates," Mr. Braham said.
The payment for the first year has two components a three per cent increase from April 1, 2002 to September 30, 2003 and from then onwards, an adjustment to salaries following the realignment of salaries to teachers to those of the rest of the public sector. This adjustment, which Mrs. Comrie said ranges from 16 per cent to 34 per cent, is not across the board but varies according to the position of educators in the service.
The teachers' agreement comes one year and three months after negotiations began between the JTA and the Government over the 2002 to 2004 salary package.
Their acceptance means that they will receive three per cent increase for the six-month period April 2002 to September 2002, with the salaries for October 2002 to March 2004 being calculated to compare with 75 per cent of market. Teachers were also expected to get retroactive payment in November 2003.
In the meantime, JTA officials are expected to meet shortly to review a response from the Ministry of Finance and Planning on conditions in the claim which remain to be settled.
JTA president, Sadie Comrie, said on Monday that the Association has received a response from the Finance Ministry regarding continuing discussions on the outstanding areas.
