Unions representing public sector workers, including teachers, nurses and civil servants, are in mediation with the States Employment Board because of dissatisfaction with below-inflation pay awards.
During States questions, Deputy Geoff Southern asked Chief Minister John Le Fondré to update Members on his position on the pay dispute and to summarise a recent meeting with representatives of Unite the union.
Senator Le Fondrè said that the board was due to meet on 14 February, after which it would ‘give feedback’ on how the discussions were progressing.
‘Given the confidentiality of those discussions it would not be right to comment any further at this stage,’ he said.
‘In relation to my meeting with the organisers of Unite, as a rule I do not comment on private meetings, but it was a broad-ranging discussion covering things such as pay, government finances and Brexit.
‘It was made clear that it was not a negotiation in any shape or form and it would not be appropriate to comment any further, given that we are in the middle of a negotiation.’
Deputy Southern asked the Chief Minister whether he had reiterated his previous statement that there was ‘no more money’ to fund public sector pay rises at this time.
Senator Le Fondré responded by saying that both parties would need to change what they had publicly stated if an agreement is to be reached.
‘It would be fair to say that we commented on government finances and the pressures we would be facing,’ he said.
‘The point that needed to be made generally was that all parties can and should be working very hard for a settlement for the good of the Island’s public services.
‘But in order to achieve that it is important that both parties try to resolve the matter jointly, which will mean both sides having to change their public position.’
