The Ministry of Finance and the Public Service and the Jamaica Confederation of Trade Unions (JCTU) concluded an agreement on items carried over from the implementation of the new compensation structure for the public service with the signing of a Heads of Agreement on September 12, 2024.
The development marks a significant milestone in the journey that was embarked upon approximately seven years ago when unions and the Government agreed to the restructuring of the compensation system of the public sector.
In a release on Friday, the ministry said the mutual achievement, on behalf of diligent and hard-working public sector workers who continue to contribute to the advancement of Jamaica, is highly significant.
The release said the agreement complements the Compensation Restructuring agreement signed two years ago, and which was implemented over the period 2022/23 – 2024/25, and restructures conditions of service, including compensation for extra hours worked, among other others.
“I would like to express my sincere gratitude and appreciation to the President of the Jamaica Confederation of Trade Unions, St Patrice Ennis, for his determined leadership, and to vice presidents Ms Techa Clarke-Griffiths, Mr Granville Valentine, and JCTU board members, Mr Lambert Brown, Mr Kavan Gayle, Mr Clifton Grant, and Dr Mark Nicely, who together, along with the president, comprised the JCTU negotiating team, for their collaborative, solution-oriented approach,” said Finance Minister, Dr Nigel Clarke.
“Though these negotiations have required many rounds of discussions which have taken many months, and have been challenging and difficult at times, they have always been conducted professionally and respectfully. It took tremendous determination on the part of both parties and a solution-oriented atmosphere where concerns of both parties could be aired and addressed,” he added.
“I want to thank Minister of State Zavia Mayne, Financial Secretary Ms Darlene Morrison, and Maria Thompson Walters of the MOFPS’s Transformation Unit, for their support. I would like to specifically recognise Deputy Financial Secretary, Mr Wayne Jones, and his team in the Strategic Human Resource Department of the Ministry of Finance and the Public Service, for their hard work, diligence, analysis and professionalism during this process.
“This process has again shown our capacity as Jamaicans to continually improve our country through social dialogue, a capacity that is institutionalised in our structures and systems that will serve Jamaica for decades to come,” concluded Clarke.
