STATES manual workers will receive an above-inflation pay rise this year. The 4% increase was agreed following five months of negotiations between the Civil Service Board and Transport & General Workers’ Union.

The deal is 0.7% ahead of the cost of living figure when talks started in October, but just 0.1% above the December quarter.

‘Four per cent was the best we were going to get. Of course, we would like to have some more and we feel that there are outstanding issues involving the lower paid workers, but the CSB made it clear that it was the final offer,’ said union regional organiser Alun Beynon.

‘We said that we would recommend acceptance, but added that it does not mean everything in the garden is rosy.

‘This agreement comes on the back of a job evaluation scheme that caused some upset to those who got downgraded.

And it also comes in the wake of a report that highlighted the suffering of lower paid workers in the island.

‘I hope that the disquiet over job evaluation is now beginning to settle down. We aim to talk to the States over the next five years about extra training packages so that in five years’ time we have a different scenario,’ he said.

The union membership accepted the deal by about a two-thirds majority in a ballot last month. Instead of back pay from the beginning of the year, all full-time employees will receive a flat £200 payment and part-time staff will get a pro rata amount.

Mr Beynon said that his main priority was the standard of living of the lower paid.

‘There is low pay and poverty here. The pay and tax equation means that there is an enormous gulf between the higher paid and those at the bottom who suffer.

‘I hope that we can engage with the CSB to look at the way forward because while getting increases in pay is not the only answer it is one way of cutting the gap. Other options include tax credits and we will be trying to persuade the States to do something about it.’

Mr Beynon added that he was beginning to get used to the local legislative framework that was lighter than in the UK, but therefore had less employee protection.

‘I am also not keen on the Guernsey industrial disputes legislation where the case is sent to an arbitrator practically whether we like it or not. I prefer to sit down to face to face with the employer and thrash out a deal.’

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Mr Beynon is the union’s south and south-west regional organiser. He was deputising for local representative Peter Du Port, who is on sick leave.

Bristol-based Mr Beynon was involved in the final round of pay negotiations with the board in February. He will be making an increasing number of visits to the island in the next few months irrespective of the date of Mr Du Port’s return.