Unions prepare to talk to States Employment Board

Unions prepare to talk to States Employment Board

Last week it was announced that the SEB and union representatives would meet through the Jersey Advisory and Conciliation Service, with a view to resolving the current impasse over the 2018 and 2019 pay awards for public sector workers.

Hundreds of civil servants have already gone on strike after receiving below-inflation pay rises, with industrial action organised by the JCSA Prospect and Unite unions.

Other discontent public sector workers include teachers and nurses.

President of JCSA Prospect Terry Renouf said that the mediation process via JACS would be a ‘difficult road’ but that it was positive that the SEB was now sitting down for proper negotiations.

‘We are not going into the mediation with any pre-conditions and we hope that a resolution can be reached as quickly as possible,’ he said.

‘People have already suffered because of this. The public of Jersey and also our members, who have lost salary because they have gone on strike [have suffered].

‘But this is very much what we want to happen – just for the SEB to sit down and engage in proper discussion with us. I think it is going to be a difficult road, unfortunately, and it’s not over until it’s over.’ He added that there were no plans for additional strikes at this time but civil servants would continue with their current work-to-rule action, which means they do not work over and above their standard hours. ‘We are continuing with work-to-rule and we do not have any other industrial action planned at this time,’ he said.

‘We know that other groups, such as teachers, are planning their own industrial action.’

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