Transport, food operators feel rippling effects of teachers’ strike

FOR THE second day, strike action by teachers and public school administrators sent rippling effects across other industries with transport and food stakeholders also praying for a ‘fix’.

The Ministry of Labour and Social Security (MLSS) intervened in the impasse triggered by the Government’s compensation review, and said normality will return on Monday. This follows a conciliation meeting yesterday morning with representatives of the Ministry of Education and the Jamaica Teachers’ Association (JTA) at the MLSS’ North Street offices.

According to the MLSS, the talks were fruitful.

In a release, the ministry said: “Arising from the meeting, the parties have agreed to a resumption of normality, and all public schools are expected to resume normal operations on, Monday, May 29, 2023.”

The parties have further agreed to continue talks with the Ministry of Finance and the Public Service on Tuesday, May 30, 2023.

The MLSS, in its release, says it will “continue to monitor the situation”.

JTA RELEASE

The JTA also sent a release proposing a return to normality.

“We ask the teachers who have registered their displeasure over the past two days to pause such activities and return to work as we endeavour to seek redress on matters which negatively impact our members from the compensation review,” the JTA said in a release.

“Let us remain resolute, resolved and resilient,” the release added.

That is welcoming news for taxi operator Kirk Rogers who plies the Half Way Tree to Red Hills Road route.

“It affects us a lot because the school population makes up about 70 per cent of persons who travel, the schoolers and teachers. If they are not moving, then it nuh make sense,” Rogers said.

A route 6 bus operator said: “Government must pay the teachers 200 per cent too,” reflecting on the massive pay hike of over 200 per cent for members of the political directorate that was recently announced by Finance Minister Dr Nigel Clarke.

ROAD DRY

“The road dry and we afi a look fi passengers from Thursday,” the bus operator continued.

Oneil Robinson, an employee of a patty and pastry company that supplies schools in the Corporate Area, is also hopeful that the teachers’ strike action will end soon.

He reminded our news team that the sales week had already been negatively impacted by the public holiday (Labour Day) on Tuesday, and that matters only got worse on the first day of the strike.

“Thursday upon getting my usual orders, certain schools cancelled prior because they didn’t want to order and get the goods and the kids or teachers didn’t show up,” Robinson said.

He told The Gleaner that Oberlin High, Lawrence Tavern Primary and Shortwood Primary all cancelled.

“The only school that took orders this morning (yesterday) was Queen’s (The Queen’s School), but they took a reduced order.

Senator Damion Crawford, the opposition spokesman on education, alsovoiced his support for the protesting teachers, urging the Government to bring a resolution to the matter.

Prior to yesterday’s meeting, the JTA had said teachers in Westmoreland, St Elizabeth, Manchester, Clarendon, Kingston, St Andrew and St Thomas would register their displeasure via industrial action on May 25 (Thursday) and May 26 (Friday).

Teachers in Hanover, St James, Trelawny, St Ann, St Mary and Portland were to take industrial action on May 29 and 30.

It was also declared that teachers right across the island would strike on May 31 and June 1.

When The Gleaner visited sections of Portmore, the usually vibrant corridors at schools were mostly empty. Cedar Grove High School and Cumberland High were only accommodating students sitting exams, while Southborough Primary and Independence City Primary were shuttered.

Meanwhile, the Kingston chapter of the JTA staged a protest outside the offices of the finance ministry at Heroes Circle yesterday.

“Fit it Nigel, fix it! Fix it Nigel, fix it!” the educators sang in one accord.