JTA, Gov't head for clash

The island's teachers will be seeking a salary increase despite a wage freeze for public-sector workers already announced by the Government.

President of the Jamaica Teachers' Association (JTA), Michael Stewart, said they had already calculated the increase they are seeking, but refused to divulge it yesterday.

He did, however, say the numbers were contained in the JTA's salary claim, which had been completed and which would be forwarded to the Government "in a couple of days".

This puts the nation's teachers on a collision course with the Government, which has already said there would be no increase in public-sector salaries over the next two years.

Something in writing

"We are waiting to see something in writing because we are not taking that quite well," Stewart said in response to the Government's position.

When contacted yesterday, Education Minister Andrew Holness said he wanted to see the JTA's salary claim before he commented.

Teachers whose contracts expired on December 31 are seeking a new contract for the next two years ending in 2012.