BITU says JTA support staff pay talks could bring resolution by Tuesday

The Bustamante Industrial Trade Union says it is expecting an update by Tuesday from the Jamaica Teachers Association after meetings aimed at settling pay and benefits complaints raised by JTA support staff in Kingston.

Security, ancillary, accounting and clerical employees at the association protested earlier this week outside the JTA’s Church Street headquarters. Their concerns included uncertainty over how seniority increases were being calculated and delays in fringe benefit negotiations. The workers said some compensation issues had remained unsettled for close to 10 years.

The dispute came shortly after JTA President Mark Malaba was publicly at odds with the Ministry of Finance over balances, graduate allowances and other entitlements the association said were owed to teachers.

BITU Vice President Rudolph Thomas said the union and the JTA have held several discussions on the staff’s payment concerns. After the latest meeting on Thursday, he said the sides had reached some understanding on the order in which three main issues should be handled.

Thomas said the JTA indicated that implementation would require direction from its board because of the spending involved. He said the association was expected to meet with the board shortly and then return to the union with a position.

According to Thomas, the workers remain hopeful and have agreed to hold off on further industrial action while the process continues. He said the BITU expects the JTA to meet with the union on Tuesday with an update, adding that the union is hoping for positive news.

Thomas also said he hoped the JTA would bring the same energy to resolving the support staff’s concerns that it has shown in representing teachers, noting that “support staff needs support, too.”

Speaking during Workers’ Week, Thomas urged employers and unions to use dialogue to prevent avoidable workplace flare-ups, saying disputes of that kind are not something the union welcomes.