States Make Decisions On Pay Offers

Nurses and manual workers have been offered a revised pay deal, but teachers and civil servants will have their disputed offer imposed on them this month.

Public sector workers, who’ve been threatening industrial action, have been emailed today with the news.

The States Employment Board says it’s responded to the request from nurses, manual workers and Energy from Waste workers for flat-rate percentage increases.

Precise details aren’t being released pending further talks with those unions.

But SEB Chair, Senator Tracey Vallois, says the total budget hasn’t increased. The Minister has pointed to a funding shortfall and the news that the Chief Minister has called on £30-£40m savings to be made by 2020.

She says more details on negotiations with nurses, manual workers and Energy from Waste workers will be released when concluded, which is expected to be over the ‘next few weeks’.

Civil servants, teachers, fire, prison staff and police have been told in an email that their 2018 offer will take effect this month and 2019 increase from January:

These offers haven’t been accepted. 93% of civil service members who took a ballot said they were prepared to take industrial action leading up to a strike.

An exact figure on turnout hasn’t been revealed, although JCSA has told Channel 103 it was ‘well over 50%’.

Charlie Parker says the time is right to end negotiations.

“I said in my last letter that we would continue to discuss the pay offers with union representatives in the hope that we could reach agreement, but that if we couldn’t, we would consider implementing the pay offers without agreement.

“Having addressed as many issues as possible, we feel that we have now reached the point where we should implement the pay offers for Civil Servants and Teachers and Uniformed Services, to ensure that these colleagues receive their 2018 pay increases in 2018. So, with the approval of the States Employment Board, that is what we intend to do.

“I regret that this offer is being implemented without agreement. However, we believe that this is the right thing to do, having factored in all feedback that we can from trade union representatives and also after hearing from some colleagues that they don’t wish to wait any longer for their 2018 pay rises.”

Escalated preparations for unrest, including mediators, are now underway to try and reach a last-ditch agreement and avert strike action.

“These have been difficult and protracted negotiations, which everyone involved is keen to bring to a close as soon as possible.

“While the States Employment Board recognises the impacts on employees of the rising cost of living in Jersey, we also have a responsibility to all islanders to operate within the available budget.

The offers that the Board have authorised seek to strike the best balance possible between these competing pressures.” – Senator Tracey Vallois, Chair of the States Employment Board.