‘It’s just all part of the process’

By Nicci Martel

A STRIKE is not on the cards just yet, according the Public Sector Remuneration Committee.

The body responsible for agreeing pay and employment conditions for all States employees has said that today’s meetings between public service workers and their union officials were not a cause for concern.

‘It’s all just part of the process. As things develop, the union, which covers a large group of people, has to go back to its members to tell them how things have been going,’ said a spokesman. ‘I’ve not heard of any strike threats yet.’

The committee has offered all States manual employees a 3% pay increase for 2008.

The offer was based around the RPI for September last year, but falls short of the full 4.9% figure, despite employees being offered a full RPI increase of 3.5% for 2007.

A Guernsey Press source, who did not wish to be named, has said workers are asking for more than RPI, at 10%.

Public service employees, who used to be commonly referred to as blue-collar workers, were scheduled to have their pay review at the start of the year.

Despite several meetings between the union Unite and the committee, negotiations have gone on for three months.

The spokesman said there were a number of explanations for that, including problems with key players going off-island.