Petrina Francis, Staff Reporter

Henry: No guarantee to smooth september term.

The teachers' union yesterday rejected Government's latest wage offer, seeming to place in deeper jeopardy next week's start of the new school year.

Last night, the Government was struggling to save the negotiations, although Junior Finance Minister, Fitz Jackson could not say whether any new offer would be forthcoming.

"We are seeking to complete (the negotiations) in the shortest possible time," Jackson told The Gleaner.

However, Hopeton Henry, the president of the Jamaica Teachers' Association (JTA), insisted that there was "no guarantee" of an orderly start of the school year after the long summer holiday in the absence of an offer that his union found acceptable.

Meeting tomorrow

He did not say what the teachers might do, arguing that a recently-established action committee would meet tomorrow to determine the way forward.

At the annual conference of the JTA last week, delegates had turned down what was the then administration's most recent contract offer:

A 14 per cent to 16 per cent increase in the first year for principals and vice-principals and a hike of eight per cent in the second year.

For classroom teachers the proposed increase was 14 to 22 per cent in the first year and five to eight per cent in the second.

Additionally, the Government offered a one-off book allowance of $7,500, which the teachers' claimed was a reneging on a verbal offer of $30,000 by Finance Minister Dr. Omar Davies and an insult to teachers.

The JTA gave the Government a week, to yesterday, to come up with a new package. Jackson apparently made adjustments in a proposal he carried to a meeting with Henry yesterday, but both sides declined to say what was now on offer.

The offer was nonetheless deemed by the JTA's executive to be unsatisfactory.

"A proposal was drafted and sent to Mr. Jackson, indicating what the JTA deems an improved offer," Henry said.