JTA urges teachers to be patient as wage negotiations continue

November 2, 2026

Jamaica Teachers’ Association (JTA) is appealing to educators to exercise patience as it awaits a response from the Finance Ministry amidst ongoing wage negotiations.

The call comes as some teachers have taken to social media to call for the negotiations to be concluded, allowing them to also benefit from an $80,000 one-off payment made to other public-sector workers whose wage agreements have been finalised.

The JTA rejected the Ministry’s wage offer at its annual conference in August.

President La Sonja Harrison reiterated that a meeting was held with the Ministry on September 22, followed by a separate meeting with the Education Ministry on October 7, to discuss a single matter.

She says the JTA is still awaiting a response from the Finance Ministry on that matter.

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Earlier this year, the Jamaica Confederation of Trade Unions signed a three-year agreement, which includes a one-off payment of $80,000 for the 2025/2026 financial year, followed by a five per cent salary increase in each of the next two years.

Harrison explains that teachers will not be able to benefit from the one-off payment until the JTA’s outstanding claims with the Finance Ministry have been settled.

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