Dionne Rose, Staff Reporter
Left: In order to restore the purchasing power over the last two years, the increase will have to be about 30 per cent. - Dwight Nelson. Right:
A wage freeze is not a possibility and we are looking forward to wage increases along rational and affordable levels. - Fitz Jackson
COME MARCH, some 88,000 public sector workers will seek a major salary hike after holding strain for two years under the Public Sector Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).
The MoU was signed in February 2004 between the Government and the Jamaica Confederation of Trade Unions (JCTU), to save the budget and jobs of public sector workers through a two-year wage restraint.
Already, several public servants are doing a countdown to March when it is expected that the union will be lobbying for an improvement to their salaries, which have been eroded by inflation.
While unable to say upfront what level of increases they will be seeking from the government, the trade unions have indicated that they will be guided by the level of inflation and the present salaries of these employees.
"From a negotiating stand point these are things, which will inform the compilation of a claim and will seek to take into account the interest-based needs of the workers," said Danny Roberts, vice-president of the JCTU.
But president of the JCTU, Senator Dwight Nelson told The Sunday Gleaner that nothing less than a 30 per cent increase will be acceptable.
"In order to restore the purchasing power over the last two years, the increase will have to be about 30 per cent," he said.
The question though, is whether the government is prepared to give this level of increase or will it be seeking an extension of the MoU?
"Not in terms of wage restraint. The government accepts that a wage freeze is not a possibility and we are looking forward to wage increases along rational and affordable levels," said Fitz Jackson, State Minister in the Ministry of Finance and Planning.
Mr. Jackson acknowledged that this year, the government will be faced with a "demanding budget" but he cautioned, "We remain confident that good sense and good reasoning will prevail on the part of all concerned in recognising that the medium- and long-term good of the country is paramount," he said.
POSSIBLE JOB CUTS
Addressing the possibility that the government will be forced to cut jobs to meet its target, Mr. Jackson said it would not rule out this option.
"In exchange for the wage freeze, we agreed to no job cuts.... (but) the government does reserve the right to look at this option," he said.
The union is, however, adamant that it will not entertain such talks.
"Having sacrificed for two years, I find it unacceptable for the government to be talking of job cuts. If they embark on this route, they are going to have a fight on their hands," said Senator Nelson.
Supporting his colleague on this, Danny Roberts said that the Government would have to convince the union that this was a necessary option.
"We have to be convinced that those cuts are necessary and progressive, they (job cuts) must lead to greater efficiency, productivity and profitability," he said.
"In any discussion about job cuts...it can't be that the salary budget is too big and we have to bring it down to x amount. We will resist any attempts to simply cut numbers for straight financial purposes," he said.
