Air traffic controllers reject wage freeze

Jerome Reynolds, Gleaner Writer

The Jamaica Air Traffic Controllers’ Association has rejected the Government’s wage freeze.

The association and officials from the Ministry of Finance met last week to discuss the group’s 2012-2014 wage claim.

Air traffic controllers say they have been holding strain without a wage increase since 2010 and now need a reprieve.

Association President Kurt Solomon says during the discussions it was said that it would be unfair to grant an increase to air traffic controllers while imposing a wage freeze on civil servants.

However, Solomon pointed out that controllers are not paid from tax dollars but from fees collected by their employer, the Jamaica Civil Aviation Authority.

He noted that it has been the practice of the Authority to apply the wage agreements reached between the government and unions representing public sector workers on air traffic controllers.

However, the association president says the group will not support a unilateral wage freeze being imposed on its members.

Solomon says the association will be seeking a meeting with the Minister with responsibility for the Public Service, Horace Dalley to discuss what he hopes will be a more amicable solution.

At the same time, he says air traffic controllers are prepared to embark on action to resist any attempts to impose a wage freeze.

The air traffic controllers rejection of the wage freeze comes hours after news emerged that the Jamaica Civil Service has agreed not to seek a salary increase for public sector workers until 2016.

It is understood that the Jamaica Confederation of Trade Union will also forego a wage increase.
  
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