Release Date:
Monday, April 11, 2011
The General Council of the Jamaica Teachers’ Association has taken note of the Ministry of Education, through its Agency, the Jamaica Teaching Council’s unilateral action in scheduling courses, workshops and seminars for teachers during regularly designated school holidays.
The Association is quite mindful of the requirement for professional development through in-service training and other modalities to ensure that teachers remain current.
However, as a union, we have an obligation to safeguard hard-won benefits from encroachment and to ensure rights won are preserved and protected.
We therefore reject the heavy-handed and unilateral approach being employed by the Jamaica Teaching Council in determining workshops and seminars for teachers during their holidays and leave periods. The Education Regulations 1980 (reg. 64) stipulates school holidays as legitimate leave for teachers.
The Association strongly believes that any change in the terms of employment of teachers must be through proper discussion and decision.
This action is therefore contrary to standard industrial relations practices and also violates other labour laws since it undermines consultation with the Association and the spirit of meaningful co-operation.
Except the Ministry and its Agency desist from this unilateral scheduling, the Association will instruct its members not to participate in workshops, courses or seminars planned by the Jamaica Teaching Council unless due consultation takes place with the association.
For further information, please contact:
Mr. Leaon Nash
Public Relations Officer
Telephone: 874-8162
Mrs. Nadine Molloy Young
President
Tele: 857-3468