10 February 2020
Connétable Richard Buchanan, Deputy Chair of the States Employment Board, said:
“The States Employment Board is pleased that the Court of Appeal has ruled in its favour, bringing to an end the long legal dispute with the Jersey Fire and Rescue Service Association over their claim for compensation arising from the introduction of a new pension scheme.
“The new CARE public sector pension scheme was introduced to ensure that all public employees would continue to receive a good pension in retirement and that the scheme remained sustainable in the long term and affordable for the taxpayer. The new pension scheme was negotiated with staff representatives in 2015 and agreed by every union in the public service except the FRSA.
“The FRSA claim, had it succeeded, would have imposed unaffordable costs on the taxpayer, which is why SEB fought the claim so determinedly, at a cost £65,000 in legal time and fees, despite criticism by commentators and some politicians.
“SEB greatly values the hard work and commitment of Jersey’s firefighters and recognises that they have continued to serve the Island professionally and with great dedication during this long dispute.”
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