Gareth Manning, Sunday Gleaner Reporter

Yet another union says it will not be signing the next memorandum of understanding if certain adjustments are not made.

President of the National Workers' Union (NWU) Vincent Morrison yesterday told The Gleaner/Power 106 news that if Government failed to offer NWU-represented workers an improved wage package, the union's signature might not be affixed to MOU3. This is an agreement between Government and trade unions representing public sector workers to keep wage increases at a minimum.

Morrison said that having completed a series of islandwide consultations with workers yesterday, the mandate for an improved wage packag had not changed.

"What we are asking is for more discussions. We are asking for further and better particulars as it relates to MOU3," Morrison stated.

Cost of living

He added: "The workers are saying the cost of living is extremely high and they are asking the Government to put in an adjustment that is in line with or better than the inflation rate. And if they cannot be paid or given an adjustment of 20 per cent in the first year of the agreement, and 10 per cent in the second, we will not accept lower than the inflation rate for '07," he said. The Government had offered a 16 per cent increase in the first year and five per cent in the second.

He said the Jamaica Confederation of Trade Unions would be notified of the workers' decision while the NWU sought further dialogue with the Ministry of Finance and the Public Service.

Earlier last week, the Jamaica Teachers' Association (JTA) also insisted that it would not sign MOU3.

"The teachers have not benefited from the first MOU and they have not recovered since," said JTA President Ena Barclay.

But, Danny Roberts, second vice-president of the Jamaica Confederation of Trade Unions, said the teachers would not receive more benefits than other public sector workers if they negotiated with the Government on their own.

"One of the things that will be inside the MOU3 is that no other bargaining unit can get any more than that which has been obtained in this centralised bargaining process," Roberts said.