This Is Guernsey

By Natalie Harrison

Manual workers met at Beau Sejour last week to discuss their pay claim.

STRIKE action by public sector workers cannot be ruled out.

‘People are on poverty wages at the moment,’ said Unite regional industrial organiser Ron Le Cras. ‘There is a possibility of industrial action, but we are trying to avoid that at present,’ he said.

Mr Le Cras said that deputies had been sent information following the workers’ refusal of the States offer of a 3% pay rise. It has been revealed that hundreds of States employees are receiving pay below the island’s poverty line.

A 2002 Townsend Report revealed that the net wage in the lowest four out of seven pay grades was less than £300 a week, putting them in a position of severe deprivation.

Staff affected, including hospital ancillary, sewage and States Works workers, are asking for September’s RPI figure of 4.9% plus the 3% the States is offering, taking their demand to 7.9%.