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Correctional officers resume duties

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Arlington Turner, Chairman of the Jamaica Federation of Corrections
By Nakinskie Robinson
 
Correctional officers across the island have resumed duties after staging a protest over the delayed response from the Ministry of Finance to their concerns about new salaries under the public sector compensation review programme.
 
The resumption follows a planned meeting with the Finance Ministry to iron out what the correctional officers describe as unequal pay when compared with members of the Jamaica Defence Force, Jamaica Constabulary Force and the Jamaica Fire Brigade.
 
In an interview with Radio Jamaica News on Thursday morning, Chairman of the Jamaica Federation of Corrections Arlington Turner said the group is still awaiting that meeting. 
 
"But for now, it's quite OK. All is secure for now. They haven't given us a date but we were reached out to yesterday afternoon to say that they'll be looking at a date but they can't confirm the date without the minister and they have not gotten that from his desk as yet." 
 
Mr. Turner hoped the ministry would "allow good sense to prevail", warning that if the issues continue "then we are going to have further problems".
 
The correctional officers had expressed frustration that there was no communication from the Finance Ministry to an October 6 letter in which they raised objections to their placement in the salary band for uniformed groups.
 
Under the new compensation package, correctional officers will receive less pay when compared to the JDF, JCF or Fire Brigade.


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