Nelson
SENATOR DWIGHT Nelson, president of the Jamaica Confederation of Trade Unions (JCTU) says the Confederation is "satisfied" with assurances given by Minister of Finance and Planning, Dr. Omar Davies, that he will address concerns about Ministries that have not been operating under the terms of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between government and the JCTU last year.
"We have got the minister's assurance (about curbing the ministries) and we are satisfied," he said.
The Gleaner has been told that that four ministries were mentioned during discussions between Dr. Davies and the JCTU leadership last Friday.
ABSENT REPRESENTATION
"The Ministry of Labour did not even come to one meeting in 2004," said Senator Nelson. He said Dr. Davies assured the trade unionists that the offending ministries would now play, "a more active role."
Senator Nelson said the finance minister also said the government would address the issue of the shortage of health professionals and the shortage of equipment in the public health sector.
"We had expected that special attention would have been paid in terms of employment and training," the JCTU president said. "The Ministry of Health has fallen down in that regard."
Attention was also focused on the Ministry of Commerce, Science and Technology, which, Senator Nelson said ,had failed to observe some International Labour Organisation (ILO) Conventions, especially Convention No.98 which applies to 'The Right to Organise and to Collective Bargaining'.
FAILURE TO COMPLY
Several government agencies had failed to observe these conventions, he said. In one particular case, workers were dismissed because they sought to join a union.
Senator Dwight Nelson said the finance minister gave his commitment that the problems with the Local Government Ministry, as it relates to the poor status of the fire service, would also be addressed. He, however, declined to say what sort of commitment the minister gave to address this problem.
The unions will next meet with Dr. Davies on February 15 to discuss problem areas in the MoU and search for solutions.
