Gareth Manning, Gleaner WriterJUNIOR DOCTORS have joined the band of public sector workers who have rejected Government's wage offer.
They are the third group to reject Government's salary offer under MoU2 after teachers and nurses rejected the 14 per cent and eight percent increase in basic wages in year one and two of MoU2 respectively, on the weekend.
On Friday, Jamaica Teachers' Association (JTA) president, Ruel Reid, called the offer an insult to teachers islandwide and threatened disruptions if teachers' demands were not met by August. Meanwhile, nurses led by Nurses' Association of Jamaica (NAJ) president, Edith Allwood-James are awaiting a response from Minister of Finance Dr. Omar Davies regarding proposals for wage increases and fringe benefit adjustments.
UNANIMOUS VOTE
Following a three-hour long emergency meeting Friday night, the over 700 junior doctors took a unanimous vote to snub the offer. President of the Jamaica Medical Doctors' Association (JMDA) Myerton Smith, told The Sunday Gleaner the offer was not sufficient in light of the present demands of the economy.
They are pressing Government for a 51 per cent increase in year one and 15 percent in year two of MoU2.
"We need a 51 per cent increase to keep up with the spending power we had four years ago," Dr. Smith said.
DISRESPECTING PUBLIC SECTOR WORKERS
"A 14 per cent increase in year one and eight per cent in year two don't begin to address the problems created by the last MoU," he added. He said the Government has disrespected public sector workers and has failed to capitalise on any savings it should have made during the last MoU which froze public sector wages for two years.
"If they are trying to get us to be understanding, they should have come to us and asked us," Dr. Smith said.
The JMDA will write to the ministers of Health and Finance tomorrow to request further discussions on the matter.
