Several of Jamaica’s immigration officers from the Passport, Immigration and Citizenship Agency (PICA) are on strike over issues with the Government’s compensation review exercise.
The incident was confirmed by the Head of the National Workers’ Union (NWU) Granville Valentine, who said that officers have not reported for duty at all ports.
According to reports, Valentine said that the immigration officers intend to return to normalcy only when the Government would have settled their longstanding issues, including the reclassification and proper alignment regarding the compensation review.
He further pointed out that doctors, teachers, customs, and Tax Administration Jamaica workers among other groups, were able to settle because of “lucrative offers” made.
In expressing that the immigration officers along with the PICA workers are equally important, he called on the Ministry of Finance and the Public Service to meet with the union to settle the matter.
Jamaican teachers as well as Jamaica Medical Doctors’ Association (JMDA) on Sunday voted to accept the Government’s wage offer.
Reports are that 803 delegates of the Jamaica Teachers’ Association (JTA) voted, with 629 voting to accept the offer and 147 voting to reject it.
President of the JMDA, Dr. Mindi Fitz-Henley, said 95 percent of those who voted during a special meeting of the JMDA elected to accept the offer.
Dr. Nigel Clarke, Minister of Finance and the Public Service said in the 2023/24 Budget Debate inside Gordon House, that $4.3 billion has been tacked on to the budget for this fiscal year to settle wage agreements with some of the major public sector groups, which ends on March 31.
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