At least one trade union
leader believes the Bruce Golding administration should postpone plans for the
rationalisation and restructuring of the country's public sector
Vincent Morrison,
President of the National Workers Union (NWU) believes the Government should
seriously reconsider the matter in light of the sharp contraction of the
Jamaican economy.
His call comes as the recently established Public Sector Transformation Unit completes its first week in operation.
According to Mr. Morrison, many of the public sector workers who will lose their jobs will not be absorbed by the private sector as these companies are sending home thousands of employees.
He says displaced public sector workers will therefore be left in a quagmire.
"The reason why I'm saying this is the cut backs in the private sector is at the highest it has been in a very long time and we must be careful that we don't end up with a double jeopardy ... cutting the public sector at a time when the private sector won't be able to help," Mr. Morrison said.
The NWU President added that the trade union movement will be meeting shortly to assess the situation.
"I think Mrs. Patricia Sinclair-McCalla (Head of the Public Sector Transformation Unit), has been in touch with the general Secretary of the Jamaica Confederation of Trade Unions. I know that individual unions have a number of questions and I think very shortly, the Confederation will be meeting among themselves to have a very thorough look at the situation," Mr. Morrison said.
The Public Sector Transformation Unit has given the heads of all Government ministries 14 days to provide an in depth report on their operations.
Permanent Secretaries have until December 2 to respond.
ESOP instead of job cuts - NWU
And Mr. Morrison has suggested that the Government to consider Employee Share Ownership Plans (ESOP's), instead of making drastic cuts to the public sector.
With the Government now reviewing the 117,000 strong civil service, the NWU wants it to look at various alternatives.
According to Mr. Morrison, one way to save jobs would be to place some state entities under the ownership and management of employees.
"One of the areas where we think there can be some positives is the area that the workers can take over under ESOP and run as we have done at the Jamaica Printing Service in 1992," he said.
His call comes as the recently established Public Sector Transformation Unit completes its first week in operation.
According to Mr. Morrison, many of the public sector workers who will lose their jobs will not be absorbed by the private sector as these companies are sending home thousands of employees.
He says displaced public sector workers will therefore be left in a quagmire.
"The reason why I'm saying this is the cut backs in the private sector is at the highest it has been in a very long time and we must be careful that we don't end up with a double jeopardy ... cutting the public sector at a time when the private sector won't be able to help," Mr. Morrison said.
The NWU President added that the trade union movement will be meeting shortly to assess the situation.
"I think Mrs. Patricia Sinclair-McCalla (Head of the Public Sector Transformation Unit), has been in touch with the general Secretary of the Jamaica Confederation of Trade Unions. I know that individual unions have a number of questions and I think very shortly, the Confederation will be meeting among themselves to have a very thorough look at the situation," Mr. Morrison said.
The Public Sector Transformation Unit has given the heads of all Government ministries 14 days to provide an in depth report on their operations.
Permanent Secretaries have until December 2 to respond.
ESOP instead of job cuts - NWU
And Mr. Morrison has suggested that the Government to consider Employee Share Ownership Plans (ESOP's), instead of making drastic cuts to the public sector.
With the Government now reviewing the 117,000 strong civil service, the NWU wants it to look at various alternatives.
According to Mr. Morrison, one way to save jobs would be to place some state entities under the ownership and management of employees.
"One of the areas where we think there can be some positives is the area that the workers can take over under ESOP and run as we have done at the Jamaica Printing Service in 1992," he said.
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