UNIONS worried by the rise in inflation are content that the Policy Council now understands their concerns, one of their representatives has said.

Frank Allen (pictured), national secretary for Prospect, said there was a clear understanding of both parties’ positions following a meeting this week.

Members of the Policy Council and the Public Sector Remuneration Committee met senior representatives from nine unions, which represent teachers, nurses, lecturers and civil servants, to discuss concerns about the RPI figure of 5.5%.

Chief Minister Lyndon Trott said it was not a pay negotiation and had nothing to do with the strike action taken by public service workers. ‘One of the things that I made quite clear at the outset of this meeting was that it was not the role of the Policy Council to negotiate a specific pay deal on behalf of the States,’ he said.