Jamaica: Back to work for police as gov’t obtains court injunction

The Simpson-Miller administration has secured an injunction from the Supreme Court of Jamaica to bar police officers from continuing their sick-out or any other industrial action.

More than 1,000 rank and file members of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) began industrial action including “sick-outs” from Monday night in protest of Simpson-Miller administration’s refusal to offer more than a 5 percent pay increase.

The country’s Attorney General, Patrick Atkinson said in a statement that the court had ordered the officers to report to work for their scheduled shifts.

He warned that officers’ failure to comply with the terms of the Supreme Court order would result in them being held in contempt of court and their assets could be confiscated.

The order states that all police officers “be restrained for a period of twenty eight (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.”

The application will be further considered by the court on June 18.

The administration has offered the officers a 5 percent increase over 24 months, following a 5-year public sector wage freeze that ended in March.

But the Jamaica Police Federation is demanding at least a 20 percent increase for entry-level officers. -(CMC)