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Industrial Disputes Officer asked to step in to nurses pay dispute

NURSES are considering entering conciliation talks with the States to resolve the pay dispute.

Nurses lobbied deputies outside the States meeting this morning as a dispute over their pay dragged on.  L-R Chloe Dempsey, Kristy Grant, Claire Penney, Nikita Le Prevost, Katie Welbourne, Juliana Ferreira, Lydia Miller, Lauren Henley, Kenny Lloyd. (25887744)
Nurses lobbied deputies outside the States meeting this morning as a dispute over their pay dragged on. L-R Chloe Dempsey, Kristy Grant, Claire Penney, Nikita Le Prevost, Katie Welbourne, Juliana Ferreira, Lydia Miller, Lauren Henley, Kenny Lloyd. (25887744) / Guernsey Press

The latest development came after nurses threw down the gauntlet and demanded action from Policy & Resources by tomorrow amid the threat of taking industrial action.

Of the four unions involved in agenda for change pay talks, two have accepted and two, including the biggest, the Royal College of Nursing, have rejected a 5% offer.

'As a result the committee has offered to meet again with representatives of all four unions in a further attempt to progress pay negotiations and is asking for assistance from the Industrial Disputes Officer in bringing conciliation between parties,' a P&R spokesman said.

'The committee hopes this will help to find a way through to an agreement soon. We understand the RCN is considering this proposal and we look forward to hearing from them.'

Royal College of Nursing convenor Kenny Lloyd said nurses would need to discuss the suggestion, but he welcomed the move to get back around the table.

'We're quite sure that we're not going to let this drag on, we're on a course of action, we're not going to let this be another delaying tactic, which is what a lot of it has been.'

A group of RCN members were leafleting States members as they entered the court buildings for yesterday's meeting.

The nurses were disappointed that some senior deputies had not used the official entrance by the steps, and instead had used the alternative entrance around the back.

Mr Lloyd felt it showed the attitude of some deputies.

'They've used the secret tunnel to get in and I think it sums up Policy & Resources and their lack of engagement with this process.

'They have not negotiated, it took us months to get a verbal offer of the 5% given to us, we've had one meeting and it was relatively brief .'

Deputies entering the States via the proper entrance gave the nurses a mixed reaction.

'I've always supported you' said Deputy Barry Paint, and Deputy Mary Lowe added 'you've got my support'.

Deputy Heidi Soulsby, the president of Health & Social Care, was congratulated and clapped by the nurses on the strongly worded letter on the issue she sent P&R last week.

Some deputies said it was embarrassing that the nurses were campaigning for better pay on the same day that States members would be voting on deputies pay.

States members received an update on nurses pay from P&R member Deputy Jonathan Le Tocq between 2 and 2.30pm yesterday.

P&R president Deputy Gavin St Pier had a civilised conversation with the nurses, as he explained the 'wider challenges' the States were under, although he 'accepted it had been a long journey'.

Deputy Peter Roffey said he was fully in support of equal pay for work of equal value, but he told Mr Lloyd that the island could not afford to get there 'all in one go'.

The RCN is asking for a 10% pay rise in order to correct an historical imbalance, it is estimated that nurses are paid between £5,000 and £13,000 less than the salaries of comparable public sector roles.

P&R has stated consistently that it agrees with the equal pay for work of equal value principle, but that this requires a phased approach.

Mr Lloyd said it had been going on for too long, and nurses were not in the mood for being fobbed off.

'In 2011 we gave them accurate figures on the pay disparity and it's not really changed in all those years, so they've had time,' he said.

'They think they can pat us on the head and put us back in the box, and that's what they've been doing for years, but this time nurses have had enough.'

Following the well supported march last weekend the nurses feel confident that they have the public on their side.

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