The Jamaica Civil Service Association

The JCSA emerged from a scenario which presented itself immediately following the 1st World War. In 1918 there was a meeting of prominent public officers in the island to address concerns regarding poor salaries and unacceptable working conditions. At this meeting it was decided that a select group be entrusted with the responsibility of preparing and taking the petition to the government. This group included persons from the various departments of central government and was referred to as the Public Officers Memorial Committee. It was this Committee that recommended that an Association be formed. So on May 6th of the following year (1919) the JCSA was formed with full governmental approval. That year the Public Officers Memorial Committee worked alongside the newly formed Association and obtained the salary improvement which the public officers were seeking.

From its inception the JCSA realized that its membership is deserving of more than just a salary and so it saw to the establishment of the Whitley Councils which dealt with grievances. Up to the start of the 1940’s the JCSA, though trying to secure the best working conditions for its membership, faced an uphill task. Women, who interestingly today constitute approximately 65% of the Civil Service, were one of the main concerns of the Association. They were known to encounter harsh victimizations in the service as they were not allowed to occupy any clerical or administrative post regardless of their qualification. They were seen simply as secretaries.