Earlier this week, the UK chancellor, Rishi Sunak, said that he was planning to boost the wages of 900,000 public-sector staff, with teachers gaining a 3.1% pay rise and doctors receiving a 2.8% uplift.
Meanwhile, last week the French government announced an eight-billion-euro package for its health workers, which will see wages boosted by an average of 183 euros a month.
However, St Ouen Constable Richard Buchanan, vice-chairman of the States Employment Board, said that it would be ‘unfair’ to single out any particular groups of public sector workers for awards.
‘The Government of Jersey recognises the hard work and commitment of its frontline health workers, who have tirelessly contributed to the Island’s Covid-19 response, and thanks them for their efforts,’ he said.
‘Colleagues from all areas across the public sector have pulled together during this health emergency and so it would be unfair to single out a set of workers above another to receive a pay award at this time.
‘Last year, nurses and midwives accepted a pay offer put forward by the States Employment Board for a 1.3% above-inflation pay rise for 2020 and this was achieved according to our unique Island economic context.
‘Jersey’s policies are very different from those of the UK and France and, as such, we consider pay awards that are right for us.’
Kenny McNeil of the Royal College of Nursing Jersey branch said that his union had not yet considered the matter of pay awards for Jersey staff and was likely to review the matter soon.
Public-sector pay has been a controversial issue in Jersey for some time, with large sections of government employees taking part in industrial action, including a series of strikes, during the past couple of years.
Before the Covid-19 crisis, civil servants in the Unite and Prospect trade unions were still ‘working to rule’ meaning they did not work over and above their contracted hours.
