MANUAL staff employed by the States of Guernsey have a decision to make – whether to take further industrial action in support of their above-RPI pay claim or accept that an arbitrated settlement is inevitable and simply await its arrival. Under the island’s labour laws, failure to negotiate a deal means one of two things: staff and employer going to voluntary arbitration or, if either side objects to that, the industrial disputes officer referring the matter to an industrial tribunal.
Either way, the outcome is the same in that a third party listens to the arguments for and against the wage demand and, in a judgement of Solomon, imposes an outcome that both sides have to accept.
And since manual staff and States have now arrived at that stage, industrial action is arguably pointless.
Because arbitration or a tribunal can be regarded as a quasi-legal process – with a ‘judge’ weighing the worth of demand and counter offer and passing a verdict – no amount of striking can affect the outcome. So if the mooted August bank holiday strike does go ahead (the unions were concerned that the previous action lacked impact because it was publicised so well ahead of happening), how will it assist the manual workers’ case?
Taking out harbour, airport, refuse and sewage collection among other services on one of the busiest weekends of the year would emphasise how essential the manual side is to the smooth operation of the island and serve as a vivid reminder of what we all take for granted.
It would also, however, be massively disruptive and deeply damaging, hitting a tourist economy that is still reeling under the impact of the sewage pollution incident, which the manual side was so instrumental in helping to deal with.
Many islanders support the union’s claim but – if tested to the limit – their loyalty would ultimately be with the island rather than one group, no matter how important, within it.
Manual staff do not want to lose public sympathy and their best chance in any year of a decent settlement is by being part of a strong economy.
No matter how strongly they feel about this year’s settlement, further strikes can ultimately only weaken their case.
Article posted on 12th August, 2008 - 2.30pm
One Article Comment
Nobody wants to strike, including the strikers, it is literally the option of last resort. So what this article is supporting appears to be a removal of that right on the basis that ‘the island’ (any survey to support the claim?) doesn’t particularly like it.
If Guernsey folk, a liberal lot, go out on strike you can assume there’s usually a major grievance to support such an action.
In this instance, which the article omits to mention, the strikers are seeking a decent rise in wages to stay up with rising inflation. That’s not the massaged States figures that bears little relationship to reality but the real rising costs - a direct result of the States £100M give-away to offshore businesses and claw it back through higher taxes from the people (voters) of the island.
Deputies are being disingenuous if they do not recognise the real impacts and damages to standards of living (wages) their decisions have caused.