Petrina Francis, Staff Reporter

After months of intense negotiations, the Government yesterday gave the island's more than 22,000 public sector teachers an improved offer on fringe benefits.

"We have received an improved offer subject to confirmation in writing," Ruel Reid, president of the Jamaica Teachers' Association (JTA), told The Gleaner yesterday.

He said he was satisfied with the offer and that his team felt relieved that it had something to report to the JTA's delegates when the association holds its annual conference next week.

The JTA president's comments followed a three and half hour meeting with Dr. Omar Davies, Minister of Finance and Planning.

No details

However, Mr. Reid said the details of the improved benefit would not be divulged until it is presented to the more than 300 delegates on the second day of the annual conference scheduled to begin next Monday at the Sunset Jamaica Grade Hotel, in St. Ann.

The JTA president reported that teachers with graduate degrees are to be given a one-off payment of five per cent of the minimum payment for trained graduates. Mr. Reid also noted that the Government has agreed to move teachers' salaries within 80 per cent of market rate.

The Government had proposed a 14 per cent to 16 per cent increase in the first year for principals and vice-principals, with eight per cent in the second year. For teachers, the proposed rate was between 14 and 22 per cent in the first year and five to eight per cent in the second. But an overwhelming number of JTA delegates rejected the offer at a special delegates conference last month.

The JTA had threatened industrial action if the Government did not give teachers an improved offer before the beginning of its annual conference.