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It appears that public sector teachers will have to wait until next year before they receive billions of dollars in retroactive salaries owed by the Government.
The teachers who are owed just under $8 billion for the period April 1, 2007 to March 2009, have been restive since the monies were not paid with their June salaries.
Following a meeting on the weekend, the Jamaica Teachers' Association (JTA) threatened to drag the Bruce Golding Government to the International Labour Organization for reneging on its deal and also warned that there could be disruptions at the start of the new school year in September.
But the Finance Ministry says no provision has been made in the 2009/2010 Budget to pay the outstanding amounts and the teachers will have no choice but to wait until the new financial year.
State Minister responsible for the public sector Senator Arthur Williams says officials of the JTA will be called to another meeting during which the Government's position will be clearly laid out.
"The JTA is due an outstanding payment for December which is what we refer to as the market pay, bringing them up to 15% of market, a retroactive amount for April '07 to March '08. All parties are aware that that payment was not provided for in this year's budget and so the meeting that is to be held, is to discuss when and how that payment will be made," said Mr. Williams.
That meeting is to be held in the next two weeks.
The JTA says if a favourable response is not received by the end of this week, it will have no choice but to contemplate taking strong action.
The teachers who are owed just under $8 billion for the period April 1, 2007 to March 2009, have been restive since the monies were not paid with their June salaries.
Following a meeting on the weekend, the Jamaica Teachers' Association (JTA) threatened to drag the Bruce Golding Government to the International Labour Organization for reneging on its deal and also warned that there could be disruptions at the start of the new school year in September.
But the Finance Ministry says no provision has been made in the 2009/2010 Budget to pay the outstanding amounts and the teachers will have no choice but to wait until the new financial year.
State Minister responsible for the public sector Senator Arthur Williams says officials of the JTA will be called to another meeting during which the Government's position will be clearly laid out.
"The JTA is due an outstanding payment for December which is what we refer to as the market pay, bringing them up to 15% of market, a retroactive amount for April '07 to March '08. All parties are aware that that payment was not provided for in this year's budget and so the meeting that is to be held, is to discuss when and how that payment will be made," said Mr. Williams.
That meeting is to be held in the next two weeks.
The JTA says if a favourable response is not received by the end of this week, it will have no choice but to contemplate taking strong action.
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