THE GOVERNMENT has been given until 5:00 p.m. Wednesday to come up with a "reasonable" wage and fringe benefits offer for public sector teachers.
The Jamaica Teachers Association (JTA) issued the ultimatum yesterday, claiming that it could not guarantee normality in the island's classrooms beyond Wednesday, if no approved offer was forthcoming.
JTA president, Sadie Comrie, said that a letter containing the ultimatum and the teachers' rejection of the latest Government offer was yesterday delivered to Fitz Jackson, State Minister in the Ministry of Finance and Planning.
Mrs. Comrie added that the JTA will be meeting with its action committee this morning and from there, will instruct teachers on the next course of action.
More than 20,000 public sector teachers are reportedly in a militant mood since reviewing the wage offer, during parish meetings held last Thursday and Friday.
Incensed at the annual three per cent being offered for the 2002-2004 contract period, several members proposed last week that teachers strike immediately to get a better response from Government.
However, the JTA, over the weekend asked its members not to go on strike or take other action, until the association met yesterday to discuss the responses and recommendations of thousands of teachers and decide how to proceed, in light of the overwhelming rejection by teachers of the Government's offer.
The Government has proposed an increase of three per cent in year one and another three per cent in year two on teachers' basic pay, which starts around $406,977 per annum for diploma-trained teachers, $408,197 yearly for university graduates not trained as teachers, $529,775 each year for university graduates trained as teachers, $405,153 gross for specialist teachers and $621,167 for 'Master' teachers. There are also additional increases depending on years of experience and increments.
Mrs. Comrie said Friday that Government has agreed to give teachers their increments in percentage, based on the level they are on the scale, instead of at a fixed rate. The Government has offered 2.15 per cent, below the JTA's request of 2.5-3 per cent on the increments, a type of bonus given to teachers per year until teachers reach the top of their scale.
Teachers then have to apply for a seniority allowance after about three years at the top of the scale.
In addition, Mrs. Comrie said, "For the teachers who study on their own time, who do part-time study and qualify themselves, we asked for 50 per cent of their tuition to be repaid to them and that was accepted."
However, the Government has refused a claim by the teachers for motor vehicle duty concessions to those who have given more than 10 years of service to the profession, as well as transport allowance for all teachers.
In addition, the Government has not supported the call by the teachers for parcels of land to be set aside in each parish to provide them with housing solutions, as well as housing allowance to those teachers who were not currently benefiting.
The teachers have rejected the Government's wage offer and want to see speedy action and better explanation regarding plans to bring their salaries to 80 per cent of market.
