Police call for wage linked to local RPI

POLICE want a pay agreement that reflects the cost of living in Guernsey. For more than 20 years, local officers have received pay rises equal to their UK counterparts but Guernsey Police Association chairman Sergeant John Tostevin said local officers were effectively losing out because of the higher cost of living here.

'In the last 10 years we have fallen behind, so we are looking to draw up a pay package which takes into account the local RPI rather than the UK one,' he said.

'We, like all other public sector employees, are aware that things are changing in Guernsey and we have to make sure that our pay package remains competitive.'

UK officers' 2.5% pay deal was secured via an independent arbitration tribunal but those in England, Wales and Northern Ireland are angry that the rise will not be backdated to 1 September, as it will be in Scotland and as the tribunal recommended.

Some are calling for a change in the law to allow industrial action and the Police Federation decided yesterday to ballot officers over such a move.

Local RPI was 4.9% for the year to the end of September.

The 2.5% rise will see all police officers paid a minimum of £21,500 and up to £33,800 for those with at least 10 years' service. The figures take into account working unsociable hours.

UK officers argue that the rise will equate to only 1.9% if it is not backdated.

Rises locally traditionally come into effect on 1 October but negotiations between the GPA and the Public Sector Remuneration Committee are ongoing.

'This has happened on occasion in the past and there has never been a problem between us and the PSRC relating to back pay,' said Sgt Tostevin. He said it would be inappropriate to discuss the 'small print' of the talks while they were still taking place but he hoped the issue would be resolved by the end of January.

'We need to put something in place that is in line with local RPI and other influential factors,' he said.

'We are looking to recruit local officers and we need to make sure their pay packages increase in line with Guernsey RPI and not the UK's.

'The finance sector comes to Guernsey not only for the tax benefits, but for the quality of life and public services such as education, health and law enforcement. The States must remember that to keep the quality of those services, there has to be investment.'

Home minister Geoff Mahy said local officers received various benefits as part of their pay package.

'I'm very supportive of police receiving the appropriate remuneration for the excellent work that they put in but, of course, whatever is agreed in any negotiations has to be affordable,' he said. 'If there is a pay rise for the police, I would hope we would be looking to pay it from the due date.'

He believed discontent among officers in the UK could encourage some to transfer to Guernsey, but Sgt Tostevin did not agree.

'There are other financial considerations for UK officers to consider, such as their pension, if they are thinking of moving to Guernsey,' he said.

Sgt Tostevin said he supported the case being made by UK officers.