Confederation of Trade Unions to make counter offer to government

Vice-president of the Jamaica Confederation of Trade Unions (JCTU), Helene Davis White says the JCTU will continue to press the government for an increased wage offer.

The JCTU met with the government last week, and was reportedly offered a better deal than the five per cent over two years which the government had initially offered.

Last week, President of the Jamaica Civil Service Association which falls under the JCTU, Oniel Grant said a team from the confederation was meeting to consider the improved offer.

In an interview with The Gleaner/Power 106 News Centre a short while ago, Davis White confirmed the increased offer from the government.

She said a counter offer is to be presented to the government at a meeting on Thursday.

Meanwhile, Davis White says she isn’t surprised about recent comments by Minister with responsibility for the Public Service, Horace Dalley about possible cuts to the civil service if the government goes higher than five per cent.

Dalley is reported to have said that as many as 15,000 low income public sector workers could be put out of their jobs if the government betters the wage offer.

According to Davis White, if an employer is limited in terms of how much it has to pay workers, it is likely that job cuts will come.

However, she says the JCTU is aware of the limitations and the financial space within which the government is operating.

She says the Union believes the government is not yet at the stage where job cuts will be required.