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More teachers join protest against wage offer

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By Kimone Witter 
 
The protest by public sector teachers regarding the offer from the government under the wage restructuring programme has extended to other parishes.
 
The industrial action started with teachers at St. Elizabeth Technical High School staging a sit-in on Friday.
 
But Radio Jamaica News understands that scores of teachers at more schools in St. Elizabeth, St. Catherine, Clarendon and Manchester have joined their colleagues in wearing black and staging sit-ins.
 
Some teachers have also called in sick.
 
Phillip Pinnock, a teacher at Jose Marti Technical High School in Spanish Town, St. Catherine, made it clear that the protest was not an initiative of the Jamaica Teachers' Association. 
 
Instead, he insisted the teachers are taking a stance because they are "tired of being moved across and now we want to elevate". 
 
"Just like how the principals have gone up, just like how the deans of discipline have gone up, we want to go up. Take us away from band four and start us at a higher band and then we can have some serious negotiation," Mr. Pinnock argued. 
 
At Kellits High School in Clarendon, principal Texal Christie said the majority of his staff did not turn up for work, resulting in classes being suspended. 
 
"This morning I received information from most of my staff that they are not feeling so well so they wouldn't be coming in," he said, adding that about 53 members of staff did not turn up. 
 
Eighty per cent of teachers called in sick at Garvey Maceo High School in Clarendon.
 
JTA President La Sonja Harrison has said a decision on the government's offer will be delivered on March 8 when teacher delegates will vote.
 


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