Assignment task:
Strike Averted
JCSA, Gov't reach last-minute pact even as NHT workers join picket line
An 11th-hour understanding was reached on Friday between the Ministry of Finance and the Public Service and the O'Neil Grant-led Jamaica Civil Service Association (JCSA), averting a massive strike of thousands of disgruntled public sector workers planned for Monday.
Finance Minister Dr Nigel Clarke suggested that a "misinterpretation" of the Government's intent regarding negotiated benefits was behind the simmering frustration of civil servants, which threatened to upstage this week's four-day-long industrial action within the public sector across the island.
According to Clarke, the leadership of the JCSA felt strongly that the negotiated benefits that are proposed to be discontinued under the public sector compensation review should have been presented to them directly rather than through the Jamaica Confederation of Trade Unions.
"The JCSA explained that the way they received the information, they perceived the proposed discontinuation of benefits as a final non-negotiable position. This provided an opportunity for clarification. The position of the Ministry of Finance and the Public Service on discontinuation of these benefits is neither final nor non-negotiable," he said in a statement to the media on Friday, following a meeting with the union.
The JCSA wants its 2021-22 claim settled in advance of the implementation of the public sector compensation review and has also raised concerns with respect to the proposed discontinuation of benefits it negotiated as part of the compensation review.
Reference:
Francis, K. and Williams, A. (2014, May 14). STRIKE AVERTED, JCSA, Gov't reach last-minute pact even as NHT workers join picket line. The Jamaica Gleaner.
Questions:
Q1. Explain the concept of Trade Unions and Social Patterns, specifically as it relates to the impact on standards of living, referencing an example from the case.
Q2. Discuss two (2) impacts that union activity can have on the workers and on society.
Q3. Elaborate on what is meant by "multiplicity of unions" and cite one (1) example from the case that posed a challenge to the negotiation process.
Q4. Define the term "Social Dialogue" according to the Internal Labour Organization and based on the case, give your opinion as to whether you think that is being implemented here.