The plan to pay teachers the 5 percent wage increase in their March salaries has been put-off, following a conciliation meeting at the Labour Ministry.

Earlier today (Mar 14), it was reported that officials in the Education Ministry had issued a bulletin regarding the revision of salaries for teaching staff and payment of retroactive amounts from April 2017 to March 2018.

The bulletin directed the responsible officers in the schools to calculate and pay the retroactive amounts due.

This despite the JTA rejecting the 16 percent wage increase proposed by the government.

The teachers have been engaging in a three day sick-out, to protest against the government’s action, and were invited to meet with representatives of the Labour and Finance Ministries, today, to end the industrial action.

In an interview with Irie FM News, JTA President Georgia Waugh Richards says the teachers have secured an assurance, that the instruction to pay the increase this month-end, will be put off, pending further deliberations.

She says the JTA is to return to the bargaining table on Friday.

Normal teaching is expected to resume tomorrow.