Isle of Man public service workers reject 5.5% pay offer

Government workers have rejected the latest pay offer, branding it unacceptable

Public service workers have rejected a 5.5% pay rise offer from the Manx government.

Of those who took part in the ballot, 91% of Unite members and 77% of Prospect members voted against accepting the offer.

A further vote to gauge the views of both unions' members on whether to take industrial action will now be held.

In a joint statement the unions said their members had "had enough of meaningless discussions".

The new "consultative" ballot would formally seek the views of workers about what type of action they would be willing to take.

The unions had previously turned down a 5% rise from the Public Services Commission, and have now also rejected the revised offer.

'Unacceptable'

Plans for a previous industrial action ballot planned by Prospect in late June were put on hold to allow the government to put forward the fresh offer.

The joint statement said yet more below inflation rises were "not acceptable" and were being exacerbated by "staff shortages, low morale and a slow haemorrhage of staff leaving to seek better pay".

In the latest ballot on pay, Prospect offered no view on whether its members should accept the 5.5% award, which Unite urged its members to reject.

Prospect's negotiations officer Mick Mewer said the cost of living crisis had "deepened" after "little improvement in the economic squeeze".

Unite regional officer Debbie Halsall said the island was "another step closer" to seeing further industrial action after strikes by teachers and planned action by nurses.

She said: "We cannot continue to accept pay awards that, after the effects of inflation, are meaningless and result in take home pay in real terms being eroded."

The government has been contacted for a response.

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