Finance Minister promises greater responsiveness to public sector unions

By Kimone Witter    

 

Finance Minister Fayval Williams has pledged to be more responsive in deliberations with public sector unions on outstanding wage claims.

 

But Minister Williams says there is some amount of cautiousness as a result of the significant financial implications involved. 

 

"Even this process with the doctors, it's not that there haven't been meetings or responses to questions or queries but it's just that there's still a gap between where the ministry is and where the doctors are. So that leads to some amount of frustration on the part of the bargaining unions because they're anxious on behalf of their members to get to a point."

 

She argued that the Ministry of Finance and the Public Service must take into consideration the impact of negotiations with one union on all others, hence the need to "tread carefully" and the appearance that talks are progressing slowly. 

 

But Minister Williams said she has requested that ministry representatives keep an open line of communication with the unions to prevent an extended lull in negotiations. 

 

"I have encouraged the Ministry of Finance and the Public Service to acknowledge the calls [for] meetings, to have meetings even if it is that we don't have any new information to provide, but responding to persons would still give them some level of comfort that you care about what it is that they are negotiating," she acknowledged while speaking Thursday on Radio Jamaica's Beyond the Headlines. 

 

Public sector unions, including the Jamaica Civil Service Association, have complained of delays in meeting with the Ministry of Finance on outstanding matters.