Gov't, civil servants to sign wage freeze deal

The Government is to sign a wage agreement for the 2012-2015 contract period with civil servants today, following an announcement the workers have agreed to three more years of wage restraint.

Confirmation that civil servants have agreed to another wage freeze came yesterday, as Finance Minister, Dr. Peter Phillips sought to get parliament’s approval of a $45 billion drawdown from the National Housing Trust (NHT).

The NHT funds, the national debt exchange programme and a wage freeze are all part of the government’s effort to ink a deal with the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

Yesterday, Dr. Phillips told the Parliament that the Jamaica Civil Service Association voted on Monday to accept a wage freeze in the interest of securing the IMF agreement.

He said the agreement shows that Jamaicans understand the urgency of the situation and are committed to undertaking the necessary reforms.

Dr. Phillips said the sacrifice by the workers is unmatched.

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