No sign of retroactive pay

THE EDITOR, Madam:

The implementation of the new government compensation system began in April 2022. Later that year, public sector workers were notified that the “new pay bands” would be “implemented over a three-year period” and that retroactive salary payments for April to November would be made in December. Salaries for December 2022 reflected retroactive payments for some Social Development Commission (SDC) employees.

Over the years, employees were told that the staff structure was not approved, and that submissions were made to the Ministry of Finance and the Public Service (MOFPS). A consultant was hired, a proposal prepared and submitted to the ministry. Some positions were taken off the proposed structure. New positions were created. The most recent word is, the SDC is still awaiting approval from the ministry.

Ancillary staff saw salaries reverted to a lower level on the new system to meet the upgraded minimum wage. Retroactive payments were made with the effective date of the increased minimum wage. In October 2024, administrators were told that they would receive retroactive payments “sooner than you think”. In February it was “no later than March”. Salaries for March were paid but there was no retroactive payment. Instead, administrators’ salaries are still calculated on the 2017-2021 salary scale as the SDC staff structure is yet to be approved by the MOFPS.

Some of these public-sector employees are Jamaica Civil Service Association members. Yet, there is no evidence that they or their matter is represented. Are they not lobbied for because their annual contribution is only $12,000? Is it really the ministry that is holding a particular set of public-sector employees at ransom? In whose hands does the fate of SDC administrators lie? The three-year period comes to an end on March 31.

DISHEARTENED