27 September 2019
The States Employment Board (SEB) has written to more than 3,000 civil servants to update them on the pay review covering 2018, 2019 and 2020.
SEB has confirmed to civil servants that, in the absence of agreement with the Prospect and Unite unions, it has been left with no choice but to implement a pay increase of September 2019 RPI plus 1.3%, with effect from 1 January 2020.
This follows the implementation of the pay increases for 2018 and 2019 in autumn 2018 and adds to the number of times in recent years that pay increases have had to be implemented without agreement.
However, SEB explains in its letter that two other elements of an offer that was originally made to the unions in July will remain on the table until 30 November, and that SEB is willing to continue negotiations on them.
The two additional elements are:
- a further increase of up to 0.8%, based on a 50:50 sharing of additional savings and efficiencies identified in joint working with the unions
- additional paid holidays (average of 2.8 days) in exchange for increasing the working week from 37 hours to 37.5 hours
Connétable Richard Buchanan, Vice-Chair of the States Employment Board, said: “SEB would have liked to have reached agreement with the unions, so that all civil servants can receive all the elements of the July pay offer. Negotiations continued this week, but to no avail.
“The potential 0.8% additional increase and the additional paid holidays cannot be implemented without the agreement and cooperation of the unions. SEB therefore agreed that we will keep the additional elements of the July pay offer on the table for as long as possible, in the hope that the unions will reconsider their position and enable all civil servants to receive this better settlement, including many who choose not to be in a union and who did not therefore have a vote.
“SEB is willing for officers to continue negotiations with the trades unions on these two elements, if the unions are willing to reconsider their rejection of them.”
States Employment Board's letter to civil servants
gov.je