A chance for reform is missed
A ‘NO STRINGS’ RPI-based offer to the majority of Guernsey’s public sector and civil service for this year and the next two years is an offer made in stark contrast to the approach taken to public sector pay in the UK.
As we said in this column yesterday, a three-year deal linked to the rising cost of living is a move which takes public service pay off the to-do list for much of the rest of this political term, but at some considerable risk to public finances and the taxpayer.
This at a time when Jersey has concluded an increase of just 2.9% for the vast majority of public sector workers, backdated to January.
Meanwhile the UK government takes an altogether different approach, enabling departments to make average pay awards up to 2%, with flexibility for a further 1% where it can be demonstrated that the award is targeted to address specific workforce priorities.
Over the next three years departments are also encouraged to factor in longer-term priorities when considering targeting pay awards and invited to consider ‘transformational reform’ over a long-term pay strategy.
A generous three-year deal offered in Guernsey could have been a chance to change the pay review process.
When the States attempts to face down more than a dozen pay groups and unions in annual pay talks, but offers a one-size-fits-all deal, there must be an opportunity to simplify the system?