Rank and file police officers restive as wage talks stall

 

Rank and file members of the Jamaica Constabulary Force are reportedly restive as the Ministry of Finance has not yet scheduled a meeting with the Police Federation to begin wage talks for the 2025-2027 contract period.

 

Sergeant Arleen McBean, Chairman of the Federation, said members are increasingly concerned about the slow pace of the talks. 

 

Sergeant McBean said the Federation wrote to the Finance Ministry on July 25 and received a response on July 29 that the Minister was overseas and would meet with them on her return.

 

"We are not pleased with the way the Honourable Minister of Finance and the Public Service has ignored the request from the Jamaica Police Federation for an urgent meeting for conclusion to the phase two of the compensation review 2022-2025 and for a commencement of the salary negotiation for 2025-2027. At the meeting of May 6, 2025 we were told that there will be an early meeting date shared. We waited and we realised that there is another delay on the part of the Ministry of Finance and the Public Service, and a letter was sent requesting an urgent meeting with the Minister on June 26, 2025.

 

"Another inordinate delay came our way and we sent another request July 25th 2025. And it's just recently, July 29, a response was hand delivered to say the Minister is travelling on overseas duties. The rank and file members, we are not pleased and...we are very restive. We are demanding a response from the Minister of Finance and the Public Service as soon as possible," urged Sergeant McBean. 

 

She complained that different officials have been able to "bask in the glory of a crime reduction", questioning why then there was a delay to meet with the rank and file officers whose hard work contributed to these crime-fighting gains.