Trade unions want revision of method used to measure inflation

Members of Jamaica's trade union movement want a revision of the method used to measure inflation. A request has been made to the Ministry of Finance in that regard. It comes amid concern about the impact of the increase in the cost of living on public sector workers who are under wage restraint.

According to Helene Davis White, Vice President of the Jamaica Confederation of Trade Unions, a review of the Consumer Price Index (CPI) is needed to get a better picture of the movement in prices.

“...Especially with regard to the weight that are applied to various items in that basket of goods. They have agreed that they would arrange a meeting with the Statistical Institute so that we from the unions’ end could be apprised as to what it is the thinking of and the findings of the Statistical Institute,” said Mrs. Davis- White. She said that would provide a better understanding as to the measurement used in the research as the unions believe that workers experience is not matching up with the government’s figures.