Recession: States jobs could go in policy shift
Tuesday 10th February 2009, 2:59PM GMT.
THE Council of Ministers have signalled for the first time that job cuts might be needed across the public
sector.
In a marked departure from their usual reluctance to tackle the hugely controversial issues of States pay and manpower levels, they have said that ‘difficult choices’ will have to be made.
The warning was issued as ministers gave their clearest indication yet that Islanders should brace themselves for cutbacks across the public sector. Ministers have said that pay as well as staffing and service levels will need to be reviewed to achieve ‘substantial savings’ as the spectre of recession looms ever closer.
The forecast of tough decisions lying ahead is made in a consultation document released last week which sets out the priorities for the new Strategic Plan. It will set out the social, economic and environmental priorities for the next five years and is due to be published this year.
Islanders are encouraged to have their say and Chief Minister Terry Le Sueur (pictured) has promised that their voices will be listened to. From today, the JEP will be helping to stimulate debate about the Strategic Plan by publishing summaries of the main points of the consultation document each day. Readers are invited to comment by letter, e-mail or via the JEP website www.thisisjersey.com.
After publication, responses will be passed to the Chief Minister to help him to complete a plan for debate by the States.
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This is great news, where do we place our nominations!
My selection so far…
1. Terry Le Sueur
2. Ozouf
3. Any ‘say one thing do another’ Members.
er, come to think of it, most of em!
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Its about time that the states woke up to the fact that the gravy train has stopped!!!!
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‘Islanders are encouraged to have their say and Chief Minister Terry Le Sueur (pictured) has promised that their voices will be listened to.’
Really? TLS does not even listen to himself!!
He told everyone that we would not have a recession.
16,000 people said no to GST, did he listen?
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Hmm, I wonder if this was decided at the two day ‘jolly’ at the Hotel De France…?
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Is this an excuse to sack anyone who is considered a trouble maker ?
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Best news I’ve heard all week. The States need to smarten up their act,streamline their services and practice their good social skills when communicating with the public.
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Good news so long as this doesn’t mean a lot of services will be privatised. Also the unions will fight tooth and nail against this so don’t expect much of a cull!
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Sadly Mistershifter it will not be States Members but civil servants…….but there again, several at the top echelons who are not worthy of their over inflated salaries as we are finding out at the moment.
Yes, anybody with the honour of being decorated with the OBN (Old Boys Network) award.
You are right, most of ‘em!
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So, you are telling us that we can have another 10,000 people in the island but need to cut jobs?
I don’t know where this works out.. or are you just going to get unemployed people into jersey? And keep them unemployed.
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I agree with Mistershifter. Well said.
Some years ago states members were volunatary, highly respected members of the community. Perhaps this would be a way forward to save tax payers money, overspending and irresponsible spending. We might just get states members that actually care about our Island and those that live here.
How much money would that save if states members were volunatary and you took away their luxury expenses account? Maybe enough to fill this so called “black hole”?
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I will believe that the State’s gravy train has stopped when the policies are applied.
Fine words butter no parsnips.
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Can we have a postal vote on who gets the chop!
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terry be the first to leave
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The only jobs to go will be the lower paid manual workers, civil servants and nurses.
Do you really believe the top knobs will go!
Their all the over paid ‘J’ cats or Ex ‘J cats who run the place so it will be the local lower earners who get the chop.
Its disgusitng that they are thinking about axing peoples jobs but have just created 3 new jobs in the States costing over £500,000 per year and have not even run a natural wastage program in 2008.
One of those is to help the Chief Exec save money but he was employed to save money in the first place.
Just to make up that £500,000 will mean that 20 lower paid workers need to be axed before they even start looking for more.
While i agree there should be cut backs they should practice what they preach and review thier top level.
To many Indians rings a bell.
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Laughable! How exactly is he going to get the unions to agree to it?
Dave
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We are top heavy in civil servants in this island and I’m sure we have all heard tales from friends who work in the Civil Service about people who have been there for years and are effectively sidelined as they dont know how to use computers etc.
The States of Jersey is a business and we are all shareholders – I for one think it is imperative that the States look at ALL costings, including staff requirements, like every other business at the moment.
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I agree, it is always prudent to start making people redundant during a recession!!
Did I hear “Fiscal stimulus” from Mr Ozouf earlier in the year… does this not mean increased states spending on infrastructure projects etc. If this is the case are they saying that they will takes jobs from one sector whilst giving to another?
What a joke… do any of the states members have an qualifications that are relevant to the role they hold?
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SuperGrass – you are spot on – this is exacly what will happen. The top civil servants earning over £100K will not be the ones to go.
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local resident, your right they did do it volunately years ago,and did a much better job of these today at the big house,they did,nt spend our money willy nilly like they do now,and jersey was a much better place to live in.they should start at the top if jobs are to be lost not at the bottom,not a tough decision
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Well has anyone looked at how much you get paid working for the states compared to working in a bank or trust company?
Trainee Tax Clerk in a bank – 14k-18k
trainee Tax clerk in the states 22k-28k
just pay them the same rate as they are worth – simple!
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Top heavy Civil Service? Too many highly paid civil servants? Why not let the Ministers formulate their departments’ policy, write the reports, write their speeches etc themselves rather than, as happens now, the senior civil servants doing it? We could then make all chief officers redundant and save a fortune.
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Get rid of States workers but pay millions for a car park.
Is it just me?
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What a joke ! In last night’s paper, there were about 30 states jobs vacancies so where are the cutbacks to save money ?
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Either sack or sort out what is wrong with all the States employees who are suspended on full pay. There are a few of them on over £100,000.00 a year. Stop paying States members, go back to the old way of doing it for the Island. Don’t rely on the union, they haven’t got the Manual Workers a pay rise for last year yet!
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Tax workers are an interesting analogy Lula.
I hope someone asks about the “bonding” trips they take as well!
One other thing that really annoys me and could save thousands of pounds a year is starting dates for new jobs.
If I was employing someone near Christmas I would set their start date for 02nd January so I didn’t have to pay bank holidays for a new staff member.
A friend was recently employed on 18th December at a time when things are winding down and there were few relevant staff members to train. I think the HR department should have an enforced week with a small business and see how other businesses outside the States sector cut costs.
If we look after the pennies the pounds will look after themselves!!
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