Following months of tense negotiation, the Ministry of Finance and the Jamaica Confederation of Trade Unions, which represents public sector employees, have finally reached an agreement.
The tentative deal was reached Tuesday afternoon for the 2025-2027 period.
Radio Jamaica News was informed that under the deal, the government has agreed to pay the workers a lump sum of $80,000 to cover the first year of the contract and five per cent in 2026 and 2027.
This means that the government has moved off its original position of two per cent in year one and 2.5 per cent over the 2026-2027 period.
The unions under the umbrella of the JCTU are expected to meet with the board later on Tuesday to discuss the package.
There is optimism that the wage deal will be signed sometime next week.
Radio Jamaica News was informed that the parties have agreed to meet again to finalise other outstanding matters, including the vexed issue of duty concession among other things.
The island's civil servants, the Jamaica Teachers' Association, Jamaica Medical Doctors' Association, Nurses Association of Jamaica and Police Federation had all rejected the government's original offer of two per cent.
Members of the JCTU have declined to comment on Tuesday's development until they meet with the executive of the Confederation.
There are 114,000 employees in the public sector.
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