States workers’ pay rise ‘unaffordable’

MINISTERS will fight proposals by Deputy Geoff Southern to spend £28m on a ten per cent pay rise for States employees over the next four years.

In comments published in the run-up to next week’s debate on the States three-year spending plans, the Council of Ministers say that the Deputy’s amendment would put the States in the red. He says that the pay rise would prevent ‘large-scale industrial unrest’.

But in their published comments, ministers say that the move is unaffordable.

They wrote: ‘The Council of Ministers considers that Deputy Southern’s proposal comes at a time when negotiations with public sector pay groups have not been concluded. While the Council of Ministers acknowledges that it is important to ensure that States employees are rewarded fairly, this proposal is unaffordable and does not reflect the wider economic climate in Western Europe and the extensive public sector pay restraint shown in the UK.’

You really want your politicians to work closely with this lot ? I suggest you think again.

They way it works is that a separate not very independent panel are tasked with giving a rise in pay to States members, they said give them an increase of £818 per year. If no politician takes a proposition to the States assembly, the states can propose suspending rule 106 ( it says States cannot vote for or against financial remuneration ) and then vote the increase down.

The interesting thing is, the pay rise comes in automatically otherwise should no action be launched. A States member DOES think this is hypocritical to take the money, in these hard times so brought a proposition saying that members should not take the increase.
Let us remember the Jersey States have frozen all public sector pay increases for two years so would look a little silly to award them selves an increase after cutting children’s milk and other front line services.

CTV phoned them all, two thirds said they would vote against the increase and a few said that they would give the money to charity but of course there is that old rule 106 that had to be suspended so they could vote.

The States of Jersey just voted 31 to 16 against suspending rule 106, which means no vote on the pay increase . Some interesting comments on our local blog to expand the subject if you are interested.

http://www.statesassembly.gov.je/AssemblyReports/2012/R.132-2012.pdf. ( sorry just checked this link does not work, this is happening more and more with the Government website recently !! )

Jerry is not happy nor am I.

http://planetjersey.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,2833.msg56586/topicseen.html#msg56586

Boatyboy.