Negotiations concerning compensation for employees of the National Water Commission (NWC) will continue on Wednesday, following a round of talks on Monday afternoon at the Ministry of Labour & Social Security.
That meeting was called in an effort to avert a strike by the workers who had served a 72-hour strike notice.
Thursday's meeting will involve managers of the National NWC, unions representing the workers and the Ministry of Finance.
The strike notice expires today (Tuesday) but all indications suggest that the threatened industrial action will be put on hold pending the outcome of Wednesday's meeting.
Labour & Social Security Minister Pearnel Charles Jr., in a recorded statement to the media, reflected that optimism, saying he encouraged "all parties to remain in a state of normalcy," during the negotiations.
Similarly, President-General of the Bustamante Industrial Trade Union Kavan Gayle told Radio Jamaica News with the discussions continuing in a "progressive" manner, "the parties involved would have to exercise some flexibility".
With "some progress" having been made in Monday's discussions, he said both parties, the latest proposals will be reviewed, and at Wednesday's meeting, the parties could "conclude possibly some sort of agreement."
NWC workers are restive over the protracted implementation of a job evaluation exercise, which is related to the Compensation Review Programme, being pursued by the government for workers paid by the state.
The evaluation will result in adjustments in the pay scales of the workers and should have been implemented last November.
The workers say to date there has been no word on when the new pay scales will take effect.
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