Minister's ultimatum to Jersey's striking teachers

A letter asks individual teachers to accept or reject the pay deal - with consequences either way

Jersey ministers who failed to reach a deal with a union have written to individual teachers outlining an automatic pay rise and strike ban unless they formally reject the offer.

Jersey's government offered teachers an 8% pay rise plus a one-off payment of £1,000.

NASUWT accepted the offer while the NEU refused the deal.

Deputy Elaine Millar signed a letter that invites teachers to accept the offer regardless.

Teachers would be assumed to have automatically accepted the deal unless they email the government to opt-out, it said.

Those who did not respond via email by 1 February would also agree to a ban on industrial action over pay until 2027, the letter outlined.

It follows strike action that took place in Jersey over much of last year.

In the letter received by teachers, Ms Millar thanked them for their "continued hard work" and expressed hope "to find a way to move forwards".

She said the States Employment Board did not wish to "undermine" the collective bargaining process or disrespect either union or the "autonomy of any teacher" who was a member of both or neither.

The government does not hold information about whether teachers are union members, the letter said, so it was writing to all teachers to "ascertain who has accepted the offer" in order for the uplift to start at the end of February 2024.

It added: "If you wish to accept the offer, you do not need to take any action and the pay award will be made to you.

"Acceptance of the offer by any teacher confirms that an agreement has been reached, ending the dispute."

'Uplift removed'

Those accepting the deal could not "engage in any industrial action" relating to pay until 2027.

Meanwhile, those teachers refusing the offer were asked to email the government by midday on 1 February and would "remain on 2023 pay scales until further discussions with the NEU", while being able to pursue industrial action.

Those teachers who go on strike despite failing to reject the offer would have their "uplift removed", it said.

A failure to respond, meanwhile, would be "deemed to constitute an agreement in respect of the offer", it added.

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