A pyrrhic victory!
That’s how Opposition Spokesman on Finance, Audley Shaw, is describing the decision of some trade unions to accept the government’s 7-percent wage increase offer for the 2015-2017 contract period.
Mr. Shaw is suggesting that there’s not much to celebrate as productivity among public sector workers will decline and many will begin leaving Jamaica.
That’s how Mr. Shaw perceives the decision of some trade unions to accept the government’s wage offer — and the celebration of the government.
A pyrrhic victory is one that takes such a devastating toll on the victor that it’s tantamount to defeat.
Mr. Shaw believes public sector workers are still unhappy.
He says the four percent wage increase in year one and three percent in year two doesn’t even represent a liveable wage.
Shaw — who was Finance Minister between 2007 and 2011 — believes this will affect productivity.
He outlined one likely consequence.
According to Mr. Shaw, the government has divided and conquered public sector workers.
Mr. Shaw says he’s not bitter that he did not get the same co-operation from public sector workers when he was Finance Minister and had to be implementing a tough agreement with the IMF.
But he wants them to be more objective in assessing whether a PNP or JLP government is better at managing the economy.
Mr. Shaw commented on the perception that public sector workers are more sympathetic to a PNP government.
