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Time for a different strategy
published: Tuesday | September 12, 2006 <DIV class=KonaBody>
Devon Dick
A couple weeks ago, I remember suggesting to the Nurses Association of Jamaica, at their 60th anniversary service held at Boulevard Baptist Church, to consider different strategies in their salary negotiations.
To me, it does not appear that after protracted negotiations and industrial actions that the results match the efforts.
Those who are involved in industrial actions should ask "Who are the persons hurting and are being affected?" When nurses strike, it is not the 'powers that be' who suffer. They have friends and relatives who will take care of their medical needs and they can afford to go overseas for medical attention.
Therefore, it is those who are poor and powerless who suffer the most.
When police go on strike the members of the protective services who protectpoliticiansdo not strike. It is the defenceless who are at risk because both Cabinet ministers and Ministers of States get police protection. Even caretakers get protection.
Slower students suffer
I remember being asked to participate in a function in which a People's National Party caretaker was part of the management team. I noticed that he had police protection. I asked the policeman how come he was assigned to that politician. He told me it was because the politician felt his life was under threat. He also added that any citizen who felt that his or her life is under threat could ask for and get police protection.
When teachers go on strike, it will be the slower students who suffer the most. In June, English university lecturers went on strike which affected the marking of papers and consequently the awarding of degrees. However, Jamaican teachers would not do that.
I really believe that nurses, doctors, police and teachers should not strike. It has not produced the desired results and it is inconveniencing the wrong set of persons.
Instead, the teachers and civil society should insist that the education tax be used exclusively for education along with the same percentage allocation of the budget that was customary before there was an education tax.
Deeper involvement
These Government-paid employees must get more involved when the budget of the country is being established because after the budget has been approved in Parliament, there is little room for manoeuvring. Unless it is to take from one set of workers to increase the lot of another.
They also need to champion the cause of tax reform. Former Prime Minister, P.J. Patterson said the tax rate was too high for both employees and employers, but nothing has changed. There has been little public support for the Matalon Tax Reform Programme. If the tax rates were lower then the real disposable income would increase. In addition, the tax compliance is woefully inadequate. If tax compliance moved from the 50 per cent rate to 90 per cent, then there would be more money in the Government coffers to pay better wages.
Advocacy skills needed
In addition, Jamaicans of all walks must be watchdogs of how taxpayers' money is being spent so that there will be less mis-management and corruption. Govern-ment workers need to understand that having two venues for the Cricket World Cup instead of one could have disastrous effects on salaries in 2007 and beyond.
These workers need to understand that the spread between saving rates and loan rates that banks charge is very wide compared to international standards. And if the loan rates go down, then they would have a better standard of living.
And if you do strike, it should b
Time for a different strategy
published: Tuesday | September 12, 2006 <DIV class=KonaBody>
Devon Dick
A couple weeks ago, I remember suggesting to the Nurses Association of Jamaica, at their 60th anniversary service held at Boulevard Baptist Church, to consider different strategies in their salary negotiations.
To me, it does not appear that after protracted negotiations and industrial actions that the results match the efforts.
Those who are involved in industrial actions should ask "Who are the persons hurting and are being affected?" When nurses strike, it is not the 'powers that be' who suffer. They have friends and relatives who will take care of their medical needs and they can afford to go overseas for medical attention.
Therefore, it is those who are poor and powerless who suffer the most.
When police go on strike the members of the protective services who protectpoliticiansdo not strike. It is the defenceless who are at risk because both Cabinet ministers and Ministers of States get police protection. Even caretakers get protection.
Slower students suffer
I remember being asked to participate in a function in which a People's National Party caretaker was part of the management team. I noticed that he had police protection. I asked the policeman how come he was assigned to that politician. He told me it was because the politician felt his life was under threat. He also added that any citizen who felt that his or her life is under threat could ask for and get police protection.
When teachers go on strike, it will be the slower students who suffer the most. In June, English university lecturers went on strike which affected the marking of papers and consequently the awarding of degrees. However, Jamaican teachers would not do that.
I really believe that nurses, doctors, police and teachers should not strike. It has not produced the desired results and it is inconveniencing the wrong set of persons.
Instead, the teachers and civil society should insist that the education tax be used exclusively for education along with the same percentage allocation of the budget that was customary before there was an education tax.
Deeper involvement
These Government-paid employees must get more involved when the budget of the country is being established because after the budget has been approved in Parliament, there is little room for manoeuvring. Unless it is to take from one set of workers to increase the lot of another.
They also need to champion the cause of tax reform. Former Prime Minister, P.J. Patterson said the tax rate was too high for both employees and employers, but nothing has changed. There has been little public support for the Matalon Tax Reform Programme. If the tax rates were lower then the real disposable income would increase. In addition, the tax compliance is woefully inadequate. If tax compliance moved from the 50 per cent rate to 90 per cent, then there would be more money in the Government coffers to pay better wages.
Advocacy skills needed
In addition, Jamaicans of all walks must be watchdogs of how taxpayers' money is being spent so that there will be less mis-management and corruption. Govern-ment workers need to understand that having two venues for the Cricket World Cup instead of one could have disastrous effects on salaries in 2007 and beyond.
These workers need to understand that the spread between saving rates and loan rates that banks charge is very wide compared to international standards. And if the loan rates go down, then they would have a better standard of living.
And if you do strike, it should b