Finance Minister commits to ending fixed term contracts, claims Ennis

   

President of the Jamaica Confederation of Trade Unions (JCTU) St. Patrice Ennis says he has received a commitment from Finance Minister Dr. Nigel Clarke for the elimination of fixed term contracts in the public service.

 

Mr. Ennis says he accepts that it is a work in progress and that the JCTU's call for a policy position to end the practice will require discussions by Cabinet.

 

He says the matter was raised last week during a meeting with Dr. Clarke to resolve outstanding matters under the Public Sector Restructuring scheme.

 

"There wasn't a response to that per se but what we have gleaned so far from the minister is that I think he buys into the concept that there's an abuse of workers where contract work is being engaged. 

 

Mr. Ennis acknowledged that the government has moved more than 10,000 workers to permanent employment, but says there is a contradiction if contract work continues. 

 

"That is what we're striving for, to have a consistent policy that you're going to eliminate contract work from government where it is not necessary and we stop engaging people on contract work and so we don't have this continuous fight to transition people from contract work to regular employment when it wasn't indeed a contract work in the first place. So that is part of the problem that we're having," he explained. 

 

Trade unions and the parliamentary opposition have been agitating for an end to contractual arrangements, asserting that the continued use restricts the earning power of employees.

 

Recently, President of the Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica Metry Seaga said employers are forced to offer contracts due to the challenges they face under what he described as the outdated labour laws.