An improved offer aimed to resolve the long-running row was unveiled by the States Employment Board yesterday and included a pledge of additional pay based on jointly agreed savings.
The so-called ‘gain-share’ approach outlines a 50% split, to be paid to teachers as part of their 2020 wage settlement, of any savings resulting from a review of Jersey’s education sector.
The SEB anticipated that savings of at least 1.6% of the wage budget for education could be achieved, and if the target was met an additional pay award of 0.8% or above could be made to staff next year.
But the proposals drew an angry reaction from Brendan Carolan, president of the National Education Union.
Speaking ahead of a meeting with NEU members that was due to take place last night, Mr Carolan was dismissive of the gain-share concept.
‘Gain-share is just not going to work in education – teachers have been asked to come up with ideas for saving money, which is ridiculous,’ he said.
‘We are only just recovering from the funding cut in 2017.
‘The new offer is awful and disrespectful and I think there’ll still be a massive level of discontent – the issue is not going to get sorted as a result of this.’
In addition to the new pledge to share savings with teachers, the offer includes a further increase for 2020 of 1.3% above the rate of inflation in September 2019, plus wage rises that have already been implemented. These comprise 2% pay awards for both 2018 and 2019, plus one-off unconsolidated payments of 1.1% and 1% for each year respectively.
Chief Minister and SEB Chairman John Le Fondré commended the improved offer in the States Assembly, however.
‘The aim is to generate sustainable efficiencies worth 1.6% of the teacher pay bill,’ he said. ‘I consider that the offer we have made achieves the aim of a balanced agreement with the unions, meets our financial responsibilities to taxpayers, and provides an appropriate level of reward for our employees.
‘It is my continued hope that we will reach an equitable and comprehensive resolution to the negotiations.’
During yesterday’s NEU meeting, members voted to continue with industrial action.
In a statement on their Facebook page, the NEU said: ‘Nearly 150 NEU members packed St Helier Town Hall to discuss the latest pay offer from the employer.
‘It was clear from the discussion that almost the entire room rejected the employer’s latest offer and members voted overwhelmingly against suspending strike action.
‘The feeling of members that they were willing to continue the fight for a fair pay award, was widely held and deeply felt.
‘The latest pay offer requires members to put trust in the States Employment Board (SEB) that they may at some point in the future, get an additional pay increase – if savings can be achieved – through what is being described as a ‘gain share’ scheme.
‘The use of the words ‘trust’ and ‘SEB’ when used during the meeting in the same sentence caused widespread and spontaneous laughter amongst those present.
‘Yesterday members of the NEU stood up not just for for themselves, but for all teachers on Jersey and for the future of its education system. They did so with the kind of determination and solidarity which makes them a credit to the teaching profession.
‘It is often ‘overlooked’ that it is the Jersey government that is responsible for the provision of education for its young people. Teachers are responsible for delivering that education. A job to which they are highly committed and do to a high standard.
‘So if after the negotiations which begin again today, education continues to be disrupted and schools continue to closed next week, it will be because the SEB and the Jersey government – including the Chief Minister & Chair of the SEB and the Chief Executive – have failed to do their jobs in putting forward a viable offer to settle the dispute.’
