JTA, Finance Ministry to discuss increment payments in upcoming meeting

 

The Ministry of Finance and the Jamaica Teachers' Association (JTA) are scheduled to discuss the payment of increments to educators. 

 

JTA President Dr. Mark Smith told Radio Jamaica News that a meeting will be taking place within the next two weeks to iron out concerns raised by the union. He said during those talks, the JTA will continue to press for the earliest payment date for the increments.

 

"We will be looking to raise that matter with them at that point. And that meeting is really about general negotiations, but I'm sure that will come up for mention," he said. 

 

The increment payments are due under the revised compensation exercise for public sector workers. 

 

Payment for teachers became effective April 1, 2025. 

 

When asked whether the expectation that payouts will begin in April came as a result of miscommunication by the union, the JTA President explained that it was in good faith that the union pressed for the payments. 

 

"I don't necessarily know if it's miscommunication. What I will tell you is that the Ministry of Finance would have indicated through a circular that was submitted that it was what within the first quarter. Now any union worth its salt would be crazy to wait until the last month of that period.... We then decided that we wanted to pressure our ministry, applying pressure on them, of course, to pay it April," Dr. Smith reasoned.