Edith Allwood-Anderson, president of the Nurses Association of Jamaica (NAJ), arrives at a meeting at the NAJ's Arnold Road offices in Kingston last week. - RUDOLPH BROWN/CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER
THE NURSES Association of Jamaica (NAJ) yesterday withdrew its membership in the Jamaica Confederation of Trade Unions (JCTU), arguing that they were not properly consulted in the negotiation process.
The NAJ made its position known following a meeting at the association's Secretariat in Kingston.
"It is the NAJ's view that the JCTU has taken on the role of the Ministry of Finance in negotiating for our members without prior consultation or participation of the NAJ in the process," said Edith Allwood-Anderson, president of the NAJ.
Mrs. Allwood-Anderson also claimed that, despite the NAJ's attendance at the last two meetings of the JCTU to express their dissatisfaction, the confe-deration remained "unconvinced and continues on a path, which is not in the best interest of our members".
"We did not give them that mandate to negotiate salary and fringe benefits," she told The Gleaner yesterday.
According to the president, the NAJ has been negotiating on behalf of its members since 1973 and wants to continue doing so.
The organisation is now awaiting a meeting with the Ministry of Finance and Planning to negotiate salary and fringe benefits for members.
Nurses were among some 88,000 public sector workers who were, for two years, restricted by a wage freeze, following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Government and the JCTU.
The MoU ended last month and the Government offered public sector workers a 20 per cent increase in the public sector wage fund.
However, on Friday, the JCTU flatly rejected the Government's offer and will be meeting tomorrow to prepare a counter proposal.
Yesterday, JCTU Vice President Danny Roberts was tight-lipped in responding to the latest development.
"We will withhold a response until we meet on Wednesday," he told The Gleaner.
But Mr. Roberts still maintained that there was no rift between the JCTU and the NAJ. "The NAJ has expressed a position, which we have accepted, we don't need to quarrel about that."
He, however, expressed confidence that the NAJ's withdrawal from the JCTU will not affect the wage negotiations with the Government and said the JCTU was united in securing the best for public sector workers.
"I don't anticipate that other groups will withdraw based on our meeting on Friday. The other groups have bought into the process," he said.
Mr. Roberts said one of the critical things that will be taken into consideration would be inflation. "The intention is to make sure that the end of the period, the rate of increase will be (above) inflation for the two-year cycle," he said.
The Government wants to have a second MoU in place by April 30 when an extension to its hardship allowance expires.
While the JCTU said it will sign another MoU once the conditions are correct, the NAJ had unanimously rejected any signing of a second agreement. According to Mrs. Allwood Anderson, the nurses lost too many benefits by being involved in the first MoU.
Contacted yesterday, Corporal Raymond Wilson, president of the Police Federation, said his organisation does not intend to sign an MoU either, especially one which will impact negatively on wages.
