Former JTA head loses lawsuit against teachers’ body
The Supreme Court dismissed a lawsuit filed by former Jamaica Teachers’ Association (JTA) President La Sonja Harrison challenging the validity of a wage agreement.Summary
The Supreme Court of Jamaica has upheld the wage agreement between the Government and the Jamaica Teachers’ Association (JTA), dismissing a lawsuit brought by former JTA President La Sonja Harrison. Harrison argued that the JTA violated its constitution by accepting a three-year wage offer via a virtual special delegates’ vote in March 2023, rather than an in-person meeting. She claimed the virtual conference was unlawful and sought to invalidate the vote, citing sections 13 and 14 of the JTA constitution which she believed mandated in-person voting. However, Justice Tania Mott Tulloch-Reid questioned Harrison’s standing to bring the claim, noting she acted on her own initiative without a mandate from the JTA membership. The court determined the virtual meeting and voting process were consistent with the JTA’s constitution and a 2021 amendment to the Companies Act. Harrison was ordered to pay the JTA’s legal costs.
(Source：Jamaica Gleaner)