Two groups – nurses and midwives and manual workers and energy recovery facility workers – were told they were getting a new pay offer which ‘restructures how the money allocated to these groups is distributed’.
But civil servants, teachers and uniformed services are to have offers already deemed unacceptable by their union representatives imposed on them.
The move to impose pay awards without agreement has been condemned by the NASUWT – Jersey’s largest teaching union – as showing ‘contempt’ towards teachers. The union is now considering balloting for industrial action. And the largest civil servants’ union say they have been left with ‘little alternative’ but to move towards industrial action.
Unions representing public-sector staff have grown increasingly frustrated after several years of pay awards which have not kept pace with the cost of living.
A recent ballot of JCSA Prospect members – which represents around 2,500 civil servants – indicated that 93 per cent of those who voted were willing to go on strike.
The long-running pay dispute is threatening to boil over, with large sections of the civil service weighing up strike action.
Chris Keates, general secretary of the NASUWT, said: ‘This has caused intense anger among teachers.
‘We have objected repeatedly to the lack of meaningful negotiation around pay and by imposing the award the SEB has shown contempt for teachers and contempt for meaningful negotiation.
‘This imposed award amounts to a substantial real-terms pay cut for teachers and compounds the erosion in pay over the last decade, which will mean that by 2020 teachers’ pay will have been cut by 11 per cent in real terms.
‘The States Employment Board has ignored the clear evidence, presented by the NASUWT, that teachers require a substantial, above-inflation pay increase.
‘The NASUWT’s opinion survey of members clearly demonstrates their anger. In the light of this development the NASUWT will now be giving serious consideration to balloting for industrial action.’
Terry Renouf, chairman of JCSA Prospect, said that his members were ‘disgusted’ by the imposition of a pay award and that civil servants were being pushed towards industrial action.
‘These are not the actions of a professional employer or an employer that considers its staff to be respected and valued.
‘We don’t want to strike. We joined the public sector for a reason – we want to provide a service for the Island.
‘Unfortunately, we are being pushed into this situation by an employer who shows no willingness to negotiate.’
He added that staff felt ‘eye-watering sums of money’ which could be used for improved offers were being wasted on high-level interim and consultant staff.
‘The idea that there is no money left is completely unacceptable,’ he said.
The SEB announced yesterday that civil servants, teachers and uniformed services – except ambulance staff, who have accepted their offer – have not had their pay deal revised.
Manual workers, nurses and midwives and energy recovery facility workers are being offered revised pay deals following tense discussions between union and States officials. However, the SEB has said the pay offers cannot be increased beyond their current value and the revised offers are simply a restructuring of how the money is distributed. Details of the revised offers have not been released yet, as discussions between States and union representatives continue.
With a £30 to £40 million deficit in States finances being forecast by 2020, SEB budgets are being stretched as Chief Minister John Le Fondré targets £30 million in public service savings next year.
Terry Keefe, regional co-ordinating officer for Unite the Union, said the revised offers could push civil servants and teachers closer to strikes. He added that some groups, particularly manual workers, might be more accepting of the new offers but he had not had a chance to discuss the latest developments with Unite members yet.
He said: ‘Each group has got a different offer and we need to discuss how we move forward.
‘The civil service offer is the lowest – both Unite and Prospect have balloted for industrial action and more than 90 per cent were in favour.
‘They are very keen on it, and so are the head teachers. I think they are at a stage where strikes are a distinct possibility.’
Employees in the civil service, teachers and uniformed services pay groups will have their pay updated in their November salaries. This includes a 1.1 per cent non-consolidated lump sum payment in 2018 and one per cent in 2019. Teachers and uniformed services are to receive increases of two per cent in 2018 and 2019, while for civil servants it is one per cent each year.
Senator Tracey Vallois, who chairs the SEB, said: ‘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 the board have authorised seek to strike the best balance possible between these competing pressures.’
States chief executive Charlie Parker wrote to all States staff yesterday outlining the latest pay proposals and telling employees he was ‘fully committed’ to the States being a good employer and that the States would ‘continue to work with unions to seek agreement on pay wherever possible’.
