JONES

WAYNE JONES, interim president of the 12-member Jamaica Confederation of Trade Unions (JCTU), has dismissed reports that only four unions are ready to sign the third public sector Memorandum of Understanding (MoU3) between the Government and public sector workers.

In a Gleaner interview yesterday, Jones said several of the unions were "reasonably comfortable" with the outcome of the negotiations based on the report submitted by the negotiating team.

Higher settlement

The confederation head admitted that some unions were urging the JCTU to try to reach a higher settlement.

Following weeks of negotiations on March 14, the Government offered public sector workers an increase of 15 per cent in the first year and seven per cent in the second, covering the two-year period for MoU3.

Jones said the confederation is to meet on Wednesday or Thursday to arrive at a final position regarding the Government's wage offer.

Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Finance and the Public Service, Dwight Nelson, told The Gleaner recently that the new MoU with public sector unions would be signed before May.

However, Granville Valentine, vice-president of the National Workers' Union had said his union was in no hurry to sign the accord. He argued that MoU3 should include a clause, which protects the worker in the event that inflation continues to rise sharply.

Jones said the Government, during the talks was reluctant to include a "cost-of-living adjustment" in the new MoU, but pointed out that if inflation surpasses the administration's target of eight-10 per cent for the fiscal year, the monitoring committee of MoU3 would have the option to demand a wage adjustment.