KINGSTON, Jamaica, 15, CMC – The Jamaica government has signed a new four-year wage agreement with the Jamaica Police Federation (JPF).
According to the new agreement, police officers will receive a five per cent salary increase for 2017/18, two per cent for 2018/19, four per cent for 2019/20 and five per cent for 2020/21.
The accord was signed late Friday and followed months of negotiations.
Finance and Public Service Minister Dr. Nigel Clarke told the signing ceremony that the accord would not only mean that the number of public servants who have now accepted the government’s four-year 16 per cent wage offer has now climbed to 91 per cent.
He said there is also a likelihood that the ministry would also create a vacuum in which future negotiations between the police and his ministry will be conducted outside of the general wage negotiations for public employees.
The main ingredient in the package is the decision to create a special commission to conciliate negotiations between the JPF and the government, which will make recommendations for compensation agreements.
JPF chairperson Arleen McBean, said that she was pleased with the outcome and “appreciated and accepted” what the government eventually offered.
She said that police officers will get retroactive payments for 2017/2018 prior to the end of the year.
