BY KIMMO MATTHEWS Observer staff reporter mathewsk@jamaicaobserver.com Thursday, June 04, 2015
THE sick-out by rank and file members of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) worsened yesterday, despite an injunction obtained by Attorney General Patrick Atkinson that sought to restrain members of the Jamaica Police Federation from taking any further industrial action. A sick-out by the police started Tuesday after a breakdown of wage negotiations between Government and the Police Federation.
 |
| Red seam Police in Jamaica |
Government is offering a five per cent increase, over two years, to the police. The injunction, granted by the Supreme Court Tuesday night, stated that all the members of the Jamaica Police Federation be restrained for a period of 28 days from causing and/or attempting to cause and/or carrying out acts to cause disaffection amongst the members of the constabulary force, and/or inducing and/or attempting to induce and/or carrying out acts to induce members of the constabulary force to withhold their services.
However, checks by the Jamaica Observer yesterday showed that more members of the rank and file called in sick, putting more pressure on policemen and policewomen who had already done double shifts as they worked with senior officers and members of the army in maintaining a security presence in towns and communities across the island.
“Based on our checks, the number of rank and file members who stayed off the job has doubled,” said a Police Federation source, who requested anonymity. He said about 3,000 of the force’s approximately 12,000 members were unable to report for duties yesterday, up from the approximately 1,800 members on Tuesday. Corporate Area police stations, meanwhile, continued to be among the worst affected by the sick-out. more
No comments:
Post a Comment