Pay rise! Just not for nurses, police, teachers, et. al.

[Blackstar*]

Salary increase for Members of Parliament (MPs) in Jamaica
published: Thursday | July 27, 2006
Dionne Rose, Parliamentary Reporter


A resolution was yesterday adopted in the House of Representatives which will see the country's Members of Parliament (MPs) receiving salary increases in line with the increases granted to public sector servants under the second Memorandum of Understanding.

The unanimous vote also ensured that Parliamentarians will not be paid the second tranche of increases due before their wages were frozen in 2002.

Dr. Omar Davies, Minister of Finance and Planning, who moved the resolution, yesterday outlined the recommendations of a special select committee of Parliament which had examined proposed salary increases.

The special committee had examined a Ministry Paper on Parliamentarians Pay and Conditions of Service, after a special parliamentary group's examination of the report of the Oliver Clarke-led Parliamentary Salaries Review Committee.

Audley Shaw, the Opposition's spokesman on finance, angered Government members during his contribution in which he said MPs salaries should be linked to performance.

"I believe Mr. Speaker that if a Government is running a country in such a way that the economy is not growing - I don't believe that the compensation of the politicians should grow," Mr. Shaw argued.

He said there were models in which politicians were paid based on the performance of the economy. He also gave a personal commitment that he would implement this performance-based compensation if he were to ever become a Minister of Finance.

"Let the record of Hansard show that, when I become the Minister of Finance, I am prepared to make my salary be in accordance with our ability to grow the economy. I am putting that on the record," he said to the heckling of members on the Government side of the aisle.

Unfair Treatment

But it was Mr. Shaw's subsequent claim that nurses, teachers and police were being unfairly treated in current wage negotiations that drew the ire of the Finance Minister.

"What I thought was going to be a straight forward civil discussion has been hijacked for the most crass political reasons," Dr. Davies said. "Reprehensible behaviour must be condemned! We can't go on this way."

Among the recommendations in the Clarke Report, which were adopted by the committee, was the proposed establishment of a Permanent Parliamentary Compensation Committee to look at salaries, allowances, pensions and reimbursements among other issues.

The committee recommended a Chairman and two members be named by the Governor-General, and one member each by the Government and Opposition.

[Blackstar*]

Re: Pay rise! Just not for nurses, police, teachers, et. al.

Nurses 'sick' again
Health sector in crisis for second time this month
INGRID BROWN, Observer staff reporter
Friday, July 28, 2006


The health sector was plunged into crisis for the second time this month as some government-paid registered nurses stayed off the job yesterday to back their demand for increased wages.

The nurses' action forced several hospitals to cancel elective surgeries and see only dire emergency cases. It also pushed Labour Minister Derrick Kellier to again invite the Nurses Association of Jamaica (NAJ) to another meeting scheduled for 10:00 am today.

But while agreeing to attend the meeting, the nurses indicated they were more interested in speaking with Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller, who, they believe, is the only government official capable of resolving the dispute.

Since they first took industrial action two weeks ago, the nurses have met separately with Kellier, Finance Minister Dr Omar Davies and Health Minister Horace Dalley.

"We have met with those three men already and nothing has come out of it, so we now want to meet with the prime minister," NAJ president Edith Allwood Anderson told the Observer yesterday.

The nurses are requesting an 80 per cent pay increase in the first year and 40 per cent in the second year. The government, on the other hand, has offered 22 per cent over two years for levels three and up, and 24 per cent over two years for levels one and two nurses.

Allwood Anderson said that the NAJ was only informed about this morning's meeting at 5:30 yesterday evening. And while they have agreed to attend, they expect that they will resume what they call their "public education campaign", which they had called off to meet with Davies.

However, Allwood Anderson said she looked forward to hearing what will be said at this morning's meeting.

"We are now calling up our officers in the field to get an idea of what was the impact of today's (yesterday's) actions and to know where we go from here," she told the Observer.

Yesterday, a statement issued by the health ministry noted that the nurses' industrial action had reached crisis proportions, despite appeals by Dalley for them to return to work.

"While the Ministry of Health understands the nurses' position, I am appealing to the executive and members of the NAJ to reconsider their actions and the consequences for the Jamaican people," Dalley said.

An Observer check of several hospitals revealed that the nurses' action had been effective.

At many hospitals, elective surgeries have been cancelled, some outpatients clinics closed and only emergency cases were being seen at Accident and Emergency departments.

The Victoria Jubilee, May Pen, Kingston Public, Mandeville and Port Antonio Regional hospitals all reported that nurses had called in "sick", and in some instances no registered nurses reported for the morning shift.

At the Bustamante Hospital for Children, chief executive officer Beverly Needham told the Observer that while the morning shift was almost normal, things took a turn for the worse on the afternoon shift when five nurses called in sick.

She said that although all the wards were being manned, the hospital will be scaling down operations to only emergency cases in the accident and emergency area, which is being mostly affected at this time.

"The hospital cannot maintain full-time service in the accident and emergency area with the current level of staffing we have in there, so we want to look at emergencies only," Needham said.

"Our contingency plan is that we would curtail services and go to emergencies only," she explained. "We will also look at patients who are not critically ill and have them discharged from hospital."

At the National Chest Hospital in Kingston, chief executive officer Hazel Waite said the institution had to scale down services at the outpatient department as no registered nurses were on duty there.

The 2:00 pm-10:00 pm shift was manned by senior nurses, such as the sister and the matron, as no registered nurses reported for duty.

Waite further explained that at the Sir John Golding Rehabilitation Centre, only one nurse, an expatriate, was on duty for the 2:00 pm-10:00 pm shift.

At the Hope Institute, only two nurses reported for duty.
The University Hospital of the West Indies was also badly affected by the action as the critical Accident and Emergency Department had to scale down its activities.

Stephanie Reid, CEO of the hospital, said the Accident and Emergency Unit will only accept dire emergency cases.
She said other services of the hospital were also being affected and patients and the public were again being asked to exercise understanding until the issues were resolved.

At the Spanish Town Hospital, chief executive officer David Dobson said only two nurses had called in sick, therefore the hospital had not been significantly affected by the action as yet and would continue to offer full service.

"We continue to monitor up until the next shift, but we are still hoping that we will not have to do that," he said.

At the Kingston Public Hospital, the story was similar as several nurses did not report for the afternoon shift.

[jamaica_dreamin]

Re: Pay rise! Just not for nurses, police, teachers, et. al.

I would love to see the salary range [img]/forums/images/graemlins/70402-thinking.gif[/img] [img]/forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img]
The nurses that stay a yard have to live too.

It is understandable why so many go a farrin.

[Tuff Gong]

Re: Pay rise! Just not for nurses, police, teachers, et. al.


Sat Jul 29, 2006
JLP to reject MP wage increases until civil servants are satisfied



Opposition Members of Parliament are preparing to reject an increase in their salaries until public sector wage negotiations now in progress are completed.

Leader Bruce Golding says the matter will be discussed by party officials on Monday.

Mr. Golding made the announcement Friday night while addressing Jamaica Labour Party supporters in Black River, St. Elizabeth.

The Opposition Leader said it would be unfair for Parliamentarians to accept a salary increase while several groups of public sector workers are struggling to negotiate for adjustments to their salaries.

On Wednesday the House of Representatives voted to accept the report of the special select committee which reviewed the recommendations looking at Parliamentary salary increases.

Among other things, the Special Select Committee recommended that the salaries of Parliamentarians should be adjusted in line with the percentage increases granted under the last Public Sector Memorandum of Understanding, which took effect in April.

It said future adjustments would depend on the recommendations of the permanent Parliamentary Compensation Committee.

JLP to reject MP wage increases until civil servants are satisfied

[Blackstar*]

Nurses settle on new wage pact

Nurses settle on new wage pact
Observer Reporter
Saturday, August 26, 2006


REGISTERED nurses last night agreed on a new wage and fringe benefits pact with the government, after months of negotiations.

The wage pact was reached after the Jamaica Confederation of Trade Unions joined their colleagues from the Nursing Association of Jamaica (NAJ), which had originally pulled out of joint bargaining for the recently signed Public Sector Memorandum of Understanding.

JCTU representatives at the negotiations at the Ministry of Labour were Senator Dwight Nelson, president, and Lambert Brown, a vice-president.
Under the new wage deal:<ul type="square">[*]registered nurses will receive a 24 per cent increase in salary over the two years of the contract;
[*]the professional accessories and tailoring allowances will be increased;
[*]sessions will be increased from two to three per week for registered nurses and mental health officers; and
[*]the reclassification of registered nurses will be implemented in July 2007.[/list]"Both parties will meet at the Ministry of Finance and Planning at a later date to sign a comprehensive Heads of Agreement to include those items agreed in previous meetings," said a late night statement from the labour ministry.

NAJ president Edith Allwood-Anderson could not be reached last night for comment on the wage settlement.

Allwood-Anderson led her association from the front in the fight for better wages for nurses.

[jamaica_dreamin]

Re: Nurses settle on new wage pact

I know that nursesin Jamaica are seriously under paid. But, 24% is a good raise [img]/forums/images/graemlins/70409-waytogo.gif[/img]

[Tuff Gong]

Re: Nurses settle on new wage pact


Nurse Anderson's Public Education Campaign worked.

[CeaBee]

Re: Nurses settle on new wage pact

isn't the 24% what the govt was offering them in the first place?

[Tuff Gong]

Re: Nurses settle on new wage pact

[ QUOTE ]
isn't the 24% what the govt was offering them in the first place?

[/ QUOTE ]

I can't remember but it could be to satisfy the I.O.U....err M.O.U. then the so-called fringe benefits will be thickened and added to the broth to suit both parties.

[Blackstar*]

Teachers' Union Rejects Latest Offer

School crisis looms - Latest JTA rejection puts education sector in jeopardy
published: Wednesday | August 30, 2006
Petrina Francis, Staff Reporter


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. More...

[Blackstar*]

Re: Nurses settle on new wage pact

Everybody ah hug up now.

[ QUOTE ]
Nurses ink wage deal
published: Wednesday | August 30, 2006


Finance Minister Dr. Omar Davies gives a big hug to Edith Allwood-Anderson, president of the Nurses Association of Jamaica, during the signing of a salary and fringe benefits agreement yesterday. The nurses settled for a 24 per cent increase: 19 per cent in year one and five per cent in the second year. - Ian Allen/Staff Photographer


After months of intense negotiations, the Nurses Association of Jamaica (NAJ) yesterday signed a new salary and fringe benefits agreement with the Ministry of Finance and Planning for the 2006-2008 contract period.


"The response of the Govern-ment is a far cry from what the nursing sector requires. However, the NAJ is convinced that the Ministry of Finance has given us a response that provides the medium and has laid down the platform for us to proceed to the next level," said Edith Allwood-Anderson, president of the NAJ.


Speaking during the signing ceremony at the Finance Ministry's Heroes Circle head offices, Mrs. Allwood-Anderson said the nurses' union had signed the agreement in the interest of the country.


Hiccups
But the signing ceremony was not without hiccups. The Government did not address Level One nurses who have been delivering babies without any incentive. A peeved Mrs. Allwood-Anderson summoned Health Minister Horace Dalley and State Minster for Finance, Fitz Jackson, to a meeting and an agreement was reached to give Level One nurses an incentive of $3,000 per month.


Mrs. Allwood-Anderson said all bargaining groups should demonstrate responsibility and sign an agreement with Government because the nurses are worse off than any other public sector workers, but have settled in the ambit of the second Memorandum of Understanding.


The nurses have been at odds with Government over salaries and fringe benefits for several months. They have been pressing for an 80 per cent increase in the first year and 40 per cent in the second year, but the Government said it could not afford that proposal. The nurses settled for a 24 per cent increase: 19 per cent in year one and five per cent in the second year.


In addition to the salary increase: More...

[/ QUOTE ]

[Blackstar*]

Re: Pay rise! Just not for nurses, police, teachers, et. al.

<font color="blue">Coo pan dis man e-mail address. [img]/forums/images/graemlins/704555_dwl.gif[/img]
------------------------------------</font>

What goes for the 'goose', goes for the 'gander'

Monday, September 04, 2006

Dear Editor,

It's amazing how the same sentiment that is promulgated by politicians doesn't seem to apply to them. Teachers and other professionals, including coaches, are judged, verbally abused and have their employment terminated for indiscipline and incompetence. What about our political leaders?

Broken promises and covenants concerning single-digit inflation, eradication of corruption (cement shortage, funds unaccounted for, etc), improved education and justice, are only a few examples of how the performance of our political leaders (on both sides of Parliament) depicts their true worth. Politicians should be paid based on performance.

Political leaders from both parties (JLP and PNP) are simply ensuring that the oppressive, inequitable, post-Colonial, hypocritical system is kept. Selfish gain, lack of equal opportunity, poor economic performance, vain "babblings" and ungodliness is the order of the day for our politicians.

Kevin Gordon
[email protected]

[Tuff Gong]

Re: Nurses settle on new wage pact

[ QUOTE ]
Everybody ah hug up now.

[ QUOTE ]
Nurses ink wage deal
published: Wednesday | August 30, 2006


Finance Minister Dr. Omar Davies gives a big hug to Edith Allwood-Anderson, president of the Nurses Association of Jamaica, during the signing of a salary and fringe benefits agreement yesterday. The nurses settled for a 24 per cent increase: 19 per cent in year one and five per cent in the second year. - Ian Allen/Staff Photographer

[/ QUOTE ]

[Wahalla]

Re: Pay rise! Just not for nurses, police, teachers, et. al.

Wonder if Omar took any calls from the war .. sorry community leaders during the negotiations ?????

[Blackstar*]

Re: Pay rise! Just not for nurses, police, teachers, et. al.

<font color="blue"> Well, one can just imagine how police treat the people let alone the government ministry. It's not funny, but it makes me laugh all the same.
--------------------------------- </font>

Gov't blasts police
Says salary negotiating <font color="blue">tactics impractical, immature and an insult to people's intelligence</font>
BY OLIVIA LEIGH CAMPBELL Sunday Observer staff reporter
Sunday, September 17, 2006

The finance ministry, having stared down negotiators from the nurses', teachers' and medical doctors' unions, has declared that it has reached the end of the road in negotiations with the police, labelling their negotiating tactics as "impractical, immature and an insult to people's intelligence".

"Quite frankly, I'm basically finished sitting at the table. I'm not sitting at the table anymore unless we are sitting at the table to sign, because whatever I have to offer is already on offer," said junior finance minister Fitz Jackson, who also accused the police negotiators of trying 'backdoor tactics' to force the government to pay them more.

While Jackson did not rule out continuing negotiations on final details of the government's offer, he was very clear about how much more latitude the police could expect.
"We have to be careful about the language we use, because with negotiating, even when you're final, you don't say the word final, because it is interpreted as being inflexible. But we've basically arrived where we're gonna go," Jackson told the Sunday Observer yesterday.

Jackson said the government's final offer to the police, who have for over a year resisted attempts to keep their salary increases in line with other public sector workers, represents "the largest salary increase for the 06/08 period over the 04/06 period relative to any other public sector group". It is being given, he insisted, in addition to "significant increases" in a number of allowances available to the police.

The police originally presented a 41 point wage claim, but later selected four of their 41 points, indicating that since those were of paramount importance, resolution of those would determine the basis on which they respond to the others.

Those four points demand:
1) a 20 per cent increase in housing allowance;
2) a 50 per cent increase in service pay;
3) a 75 per cent increase in salary; and
4) a new police security allowance, originally called 'hazard pay' or risk allowance.

The government has offered rank and file JCF members an across-the-board increase of an average of 22 1/2 per cent, which is in addition to the increases in allowances. In April this year, the police went through a salary scale adjustment, which saw cops at the bottom of the JCF scale - constables - receiving a five per cent increase over the 2004/06 period and a further 12 per cent increase for the adjustment. That amounts to an increase of 17 per cent for year one, and for inspectors, those at the top of the JCF scale, an increase of 32 per cent. In year two, all JCF officers will receive an additional five per cent increase.

Police officers will be eligible for a housing allowance of up to 15 per cent of their annual salary, and will, as of 2007, see a 20 per cent increase in service pay, which was first introduced as an allowance in April 2006.
A number of other police allowances, such as the education grant, detective allowance and instructor's allowance are also to be increased, many by up to 100 per cent, and some by as much as 500 per cent.

The mere notion of security allowance, originally presented as a hazard pay or risk allowance, was rejected by the government.
But the police seem ready to reject the latest offer, as they have rejected every other government offer, particularly, because their 'essential four points' have not been met.

Tomorrow, the Police Federation, which represents cops up to the rank of inspector, will meet to discuss the government's latest offer, but while Jackson is hopeful for an agreement, he said he won't be surprised if there isn't one.
"One of the difficulties that we have in negotiating with the police is that they tend to be locked into the traditional horse-trading negotiations, where you start very big and very long and you go through and see how far the person will come," explained Jackson.

This mode of negotiating, he pointed out, was counterproductive, especially given the government's commitment to sticking by the public sector Memorandum of Understanding, under which the administration is making available $15 billion for increased pay and fringe benefits in 2006/2007, and a further five per cent in increased pay in 2007/2008.

"We have not accepted that approach," said Jackson. "The approach we have taken is, look, that thing is outdated, time consuming and an insult to people's intelligence and as such, we will not be engaging in it."

He said that horse-trading negotiations are insulting, particularly when the police demand increases that are not just impractical, but grossly exceed the demands of other public sector workers, who are eligible for the same allowances and emoluments.
"When you ask for an increase of 75 per cent when the public sector increases are in the regions of the teens, you are not being practical," fumed Jackson.

"When you ask for an allowance of $10,000 to be increased to $90,000 you're just not being practical. And when you make compromises and your compromises are five per cent reduction or 10 per cent reduction, or $10,000 off the $90,000 you were asking, you're not really dealing in good faith. You're obviously horse-trading."

He pointed specifically to the issue of housing allowance, one of four of 41 points the police say are critical to the negotiations.
The police, he explained, wanted a 60 per cent increase in housing allowance, a subsidy that in the cases of all other government workers represents 15 per cent of annual salary. The police, he said, later revised their claim to a 20 per cent increase. But even then, said Jackson, the police are being unreasonable.

"We have to ensure that there is some consistency in these allowances. We couldn't give the police 20 per cent and turn around and give all other public sector workers 15 per cent... We'd get into trouble."

Some demands, Jackson added, were not even going to be entertained by the government. The police's security allowance was rejected outright by the government, he said, because although the police could argue that theirs is a high-risk job, it wasn't enough to qualify them for extra attention. Being a police officer is a dangerous job, said the junior minister, but that's part of the job.

"You are at risk, but that's what you get paid for! A nurse gets paid to deal with blood, trauma, sick people, and all that's calculated when we do a nurse's salary," he argued. "A fireman gets paid to deal with fire... so should we turn around and pay a smoke allowance because firemen get exposed to smoke? You see how ridiculous this is?" he asked in frustration.

Jackson also rejected the claim by opposition spokesman on national security Derrick Smith that the police should be treated differently from other public sector workers in wage negotiations, calling that pronouncement "an argument of convenience".

"They also said it when the nurses were taking industrial action, but it is a reckless, careless statement on the part of the Opposition, and no one that forms government can take that approach," said Jackson. "When you do that, then each group can present the justification that they deserve more because of what they do."

He said that unlike the 'professional' unions such as the National Workers' Union and the Bustamante Industrial Trade Union, the Police Federation did not demonstrate the discipline and maturity to pursue long-term gains, but rather pressed for achievements to appease its electorate.

"If you think that the job should be better paying because of the risk, then ask for an increase in salary, not an allowance," he said. "In other words, ask for a re-evaluation of the police salary to reflect the realities of policing in Jamaica."