UPDATE ON COLLECTIVE AGREEMENT PROPOSALS 2002-2005

Negotiations with the Chief Personnel Officer for a new collective agreement for the period October 2002 to September 2005 started on Friday January 9th, 2004. Meetings were held every Friday since that except for February 20th and 27th.

We have agreed to complete salary negotiations before we move on to the other proposals.

1. The Agreement shall be for a period of three (3) years October 1st 2002 to September 30th, 2005.

2. Salaries shall be adjusted to the level of the External Labour Market as at September 30th 2002 , on the basis of the formula to be agreed upon between the parties.

3. Effective October 1st 2002 the Cost of Living Allowance of $ 60.00 per month shall be consolidated with salary.

4. An across the board increase of 12% shall be applied to salary with effect from October 1st 2002.

5. With effect form October 1st 2003 there shall be a further across the board increase of 8% on salary.

6. With effect from October 1st 2004 there shall be a further across the board increase of 15% on salary.

7. A flat rate of C.O.L.A shall apply as follows:

October 1st 2002 to September 30th 2003 $100.00 per month

October 1st 2003 to September 30th 2004 $150.00 per month

October 1st 2004 to September 30th 2005 $200.00 per month

On the first day of negotiations we agreed to the ground rules and we made our opening statement which basically gave the rationale for our proposed increase.

During the course of the negotiations, it was agreed that a joint sub-committee be set up to examine the labour market comparators that were used in this last round of negotiations and to recommend changes if any were considered necessary. The committee would also collect data on salaries being paid to employees in these categories. Its recommendations are considered at each negotiating session.

So far there has been general agreement on most of the Labour market comparators to be used. These comprise a range of benchmark jobs which are similar to and in some cases competing with those in the Teaching Service. Once this exercise is completed, a graph will be developed to show the salary trend line of the external labour market.

It is at this point that intense negotiations will begin since the CPO will naturally want these figures to be as low as possible. The team’s tasks will be to have these figures as realistic as possible to ensure that teachers’ salaries do not lag behind those in the external market, and that the Teaching Service continues to attract the most competent persons.

Of particular concern to us are the following issues raised by the CPO:

1. The gap between our present salaries and that of the external labour market may not be closed by 100%.

2. A ceiling of $ 16,500, which is the salary of the Deputy Permanent Secretary, as determined independently of the CPO by the Salaries Review Commission should be applied to cover grades 1-13. It should be noted that Grades 1-9 cover the present posts in the Teaching Service.

Whereas Grades 10-13, cover the administrative and supervisory posts to be unified with the Teaching Service. Such a ceiling would compress Grades 1-9 and limit increases.

We are at present reviewing a couple of comparators and looking for possible ways to treat with 1 and 2 above, while ensuring meaningful salary increases for teachers. The present ceiling must be extended or renewed if there are to be such increases.

Teachers should be ready to take strong collective action, if necessary, in order to impress our collective will on the employer. We must win a proper package for teachers, befitting our role in the society.