JTA softens after ministry commits to address allowance issue

   

The Jamaica Teachers' Association is pausing its threat of industrial action over the non-payment of outstanding allowances after a commitment was given by the government that the matter will be rectified.

 

The JTA revealed on Monday that teachers are upset over the non-payment of graduate allowances that was agreed during wage negotiations.

 

The association said about 2,000 teachers did not receive their graduate allowances this month, despite assurances that a circular indicating that the payment would cease, would not be acted upon.

 

Speaking Tuesday on the Morning Agenda on Power 106, JTA President Dr. Mark Smith said since the issuance of a 24-hour ultimatum for the matter to be addressed, he has been contacted by the Ministers of Education and Finance.

 

Dr. Smith said Education Minister Senator Dr. Dana Morris Dixon sought to assure that the affected teachers will be paid. 

 

"The minister since last evening, late last evening reached out to me to say that they would make efforts to pay the monies that were taken away from the teachers that were affected.... Several teachers indicated that they had not yet received payment and so we are waiting to see what happens today. But the minister gave me her word that they will suspend and we'll go back to discussions around this matter," he outlined. 

 

The JTA had also expressed frustration over the non-payment of retroactive mileage allowances for April 1, 2022 to November 30, 2022 and with the pace of salary negotiations for the 2025 to 2028 contract period.

 

Dr. Smith said Finance Minister Fayval Williams has requested a written submission of all the concerns ahead of a meeting on a date to be agreed.

 

"So we are in the process of doing that this morning, drafting some correspondence and seeking to meet with her at the earliest possible time to have this matter resolved. But what I'm happy to tell my members is that they have suspended the idea at this junction of stopping the payments of the graduate teachers, and they will continue as per usual, so we'll continue to receive it," he advised.