Deputies row back on States employee conditions

Deputies initially supported plans to change the way the States employs staff

Less than 48 hours after backing plans to stop automatic pay increases for public sector staff, deputies have watered down their plans.

On Thursday politicians backed a proposal from Policy and Resources (P&R) to consult with the island's public sector unions on changes to staff conditions.

Earlier this week deputies supported plans to ensure new employees were appointed on a static pay rate and the closure of any post left vacant in the States for six months.

It followed fierce criticism from the island's public sector unions that the proposal from Deputies Mark Helyar would "ruin Guernsey’s public services".

'Appropriate market rates'

The new proposal from P&R to look at how pay progression works for staff in Guernsey's public sector was backed by 20 deputies.

They supported a plan to "consider the mechanisms that apply to incremental progression as it applies to public sector staff, with a view to ensuring that such progression is used consistently and fairly for the benefit of both employees and the States of Guernsey".

They also committed to "review what other pay progression mechanisms might otherwise be suitable for public sector staff in order to ensure that they are paid at appropriate market rates and to consult with unions before implementing any changes considered necessary".

The final proposals would still need to be voted on as part of Guernsey's budget for 2025.