Holness commits to ‘credible, reasonable’ wage offers to public-sector workers
Published:Monday | August 18, 2025 | 12:09 AMEdmond Campbell/Senior Staff Reporter
Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness has signalled that his administration is prepared to make a “credible and reasonable offer” to public-sector workers that will not damage the economy going forward.
His remarks come against the background of an ultimatum from the 25,000-strong Jamaica Teachers’ Association (JTA) which expired midnight Sunday, for the Government to place on the table a better offer in the current wage negotiations, failing which “all options are on the table”.
The top brass of the JTA walked out of a meeting on Friday with Ministry of Finance and the Public Service officials after the Government failed to adjust its offer of zero per cent in the first year to teachers in public schools.
However, addressing a Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) parish meeting in St Thomas on Saturday, the prime minister argued that the challenge faced by any government is how to increase the wage bill without increasing borrowing or creating a fiscal deficit.
Holness said his administration is the only government that has been able to offer the largest ever increase in public sector wages, amounting to about $6 billion over four years under the compensation review.
“I am the first to admit that it was not perfect. That there are still anomalies that must be resolved and our process of resolving anomalies is through a well-established system of negotiations,” Holness noted.
Break from fiscal recklessness
The JLP leader said he respects public sector workers and wants to see them benefit from the “best pay” that they can get.
“I could play the game of the Opposition and say to all the teachers and public sector workers, ‘yeah mon, I going give you the world’, as previous politicians have done, and then turn around and stick you with a wage freeze,” he said.
He charged that Jamaica made a sacrifice 10 years ago to break from fiscal recklessness “and it hurts my heart to see the PNP (People’s National Party) trying to reintroduce fiscal recklessness through its various promises which do not make any sense”.
“Our teachers and nurses and all our public sector workers, it is my intention, not just my wish, to see that you can be guaranteed increases in your pay without compromising the economy,” the prime minister emphasised.
He called for timely responses and respectful negotiations between those at the negotiating table.
In a statement on Friday, the JTA cautioned that it reserved the right “to activate its machinery to respond” if there is no improved wage offer by Sunday’s deadline.
“The JTA wishes to indicate that the nation’s teachers deserve a more liveable wage and a better response than what has been placed on the table for negotiations,” the statement read.
Negotiations for the new agreement began last November when the JTA submitted its proposal for a two-year agreement to the Ministry of Finance.
It reported that the ministry countered with a four-year offer of zero per cent in year one, and 2.5 per cent in each of the remaining years.
The JTA has rejected that offer.