Nurses demand 100% increase in salaries

[Lazie]

The country's nurses will this week make a formal demand on the Government for a 100% increase in salaries.
The Nurses Association of Jamaica (NAJ) said a request for the doubling of salaries will be included in wage claims to be submitted before Friday.
NAJ President, Edith Allwood-Anderson said the Association will be insisting that the Government fulfill its election promise to grant nurses a substantial increase.

Mrs. Allwood-Anderson said so far, the administration has failed to deliver on other promises made to public sector nurses.
She warned that the Association is prepared to do battle with Government on the issue of salaries.
"We are not letting go of the promise Minister [Audley] Shaw made to us, it was genuine and we are going to hold him to it," said Mrs. Allwood-Anderson.
The Association was among a handful of public sector groups which did not sign the third Memorandum of Understanding with the Government two weeks ago.

The NAJ, the Police Federation as well as the Jamaica Teachers Association have decided to negotiate separate contracts with the Ministry of Finance.

[Lazie]

Gov’t says no deal to nurses’ salary demands

Public sector nurses have been cut off at the pass as they prepare to submit claims to the Government for a 100% increase in salaries.
The Ministry of Finance has signalled that it cannot entertain the nurses' demand for a doubling of salaries.

The Ministry says it will be taking the same approach when it begins wage negotiations with the Jamaica Teachers Association and the Police Federation.
Responding to reports that the Nurses Association of Jamaica (NAJ) will be submitting claims this week for a 100% increase, Minister without Portfolio in the Finance Ministry Senator Dwight Nelson said the request will not be considered.

Senator Nelson told RJR News that due to budget constraints, the Government is in no position to accommodate requests for exorbitant increases.
"There are three bases that I use in negotiating wages and terms of employment in the public sector and the most important is the government's ability to pay," said Senator Nelson.

"It is these three bases I have applied to the JCTU and the MOU agreement and will be applied to all other groups. The bottom line is the government's ability to pay,"
Mr. Nelson's comment is not likely to go down well with the NAJ which has declared that it will be accepting nothing less than the 100% promised by the Government while it was in Opposition.

Late last year the Association said it had a video recording of Finance Minister Audley Shaw promising to double nurses salaries.
In the meantime, Senator Nelson is urging public sector groups which did not sign MOU Three to desist from issuing threats to the Government as part of their lobby for improved salaries.
He said the administration is still willing to meet with the groups to reach a compromise.

"And trying to negotiate in the media...Let us sit around the bargaining table and make meaningful approaches towards settlement because if we apply some level of creativity and innovativeness I am sure we can come out with a settlement. It might not satisfy everybody but certain will be one we can resign ourselves to until we can provide better," he continued.

[Rockman]

So the Govt. will likely renege on a campaign promise, one that likely secured the votes of the sect it was made to, and again Shaw is smack in the middle...
Well I expect the negotiations as it pertains to the nurses to at least be outside the realms of the MOU.




Blessed

[Rockman]

Senator Nelson the only question I have for you is where is Audley Shaw?




Blessed

[Lazie]

Senator Nelson the only question I have for you is where is Audley Shaw?

Blessed

Who is responsible for MOU negotiations?

[Rockman]

"Outside the realms of ..", (I am quoting myself) suggests the agreement stipulating the amount wage is to be increased to, the fact that the MOU represents the interest of the workers isn't enough as it pertains to those duped nurses.



Blessed

[Mosiah]

snicker

[Mosiah]

Who made the promise? Who pays the nurses?

[Lazie]

Who made the promise? Who pays the nurses?

It is clear you have no understand of how yuh gov't is structured. Why mi nuh surprised.

[Mosiah]

Who structured the promise?

[Lazie]

Who structured the promise?

We can keep at this all day. The PM and the MOF have stated that the nurses do deserve better pay but unuh need fi get real. Which part the money fi come from?

Edith need fi guh round the bargaining table with a serious proposal and stop the media hype. Then again why should she ... when she have you jumping at her every word.

[Mosiah]

Which part the money fi come from?

Again, who made...sorry, who sructured the promise?

[Lazie]

Again, who made...sorry, who sructured the promise?

Since September 3rd some people tun fool .... Gwaan play the fool.

[Mosiah]

It not looking good for his CAPE exams.

[Lazie]

It not looking good for his CAPE exams.

Well, seeing that the man with the Phd couldn't meet his fiscal targets for 14 years and the CAPE candidate in space of 8 months was able to not only meet .. but exceed the certain target .. maybe Omar should start studying for his CAPE as well.