Correctional officers protest delayed response to wage concerns

By Nakinskie Robinson    

 

Correctional officers across the island are reportedly protesting the delayed response from the Ministry of Finance to their concerns about new salaries under the public sector compensation review programme.

 

Arlington Turner, Chairman of the Jamaica Federation of Corrections, said the uniformed staff have been refusing to take up their duties in the penal institutions.

 

Mr. Turner said while he supports the officers, efforts are being made to have them resume work.     

 

"The officers are adamant this morning that they need this issue to be settled, and rightly so. The union supports this. So the superintendents in the various institutions are, as we speak, addressing their staff. So whatever transpires today, yes, work might be happening, but the fact is this could be happening tomorrow morning, the next morning, the next week. And this is what we want to avoid," he warned. 

 

He said the correctional officers are upset that there has been no communication from the Finance Ministry to the October 6 letter in which they raised objections to their placement in the band for uniformed groups.

 

Under the new compensation package, correctional officers will receive less pay when compared to other groups.

 

Mr. Turner said correctional officers have been calling on the Finance Ministry to provide an explanation as to why they will be receiving less than their uniformed counterparts. 

 

"We are looking at parity. Parity meaning...we should be aligned to who is in the group. All three – JDF, JCF and the Fire Brigade – are at a particular stage and we are way below. And this is unacceptable and we have been going to the ministry for quite some time indicating show us how you arrive at this document to say, well then, this is where we should be placed," he complained.