Senator Le Sueur (left) stops to speak to Unite official Nick Corbel

ABOUT 300 public sector employees gathered in the Royal Square this morning to lobby States Members in an attempt to persuade them to reverse their decision to impose a pay freeze this year.

Chief Minister Terry Le Sueur was barracked while he spoke to union officials, with shouts of ‘gerbil’ clearly directed towards him.

The Senator was accused of ‘turning his back’ on the workers by walking away while talking to union officials. It is not known whether he left the square abruptly because of abuse directed towards him.

Unite union official Nick Corbel said that the Senator’s abrupt departure did not help repair damaged industrial relations. Mr Corbel said that he was in the middle of explaining the concerns of his members when Senator Le Sueur ‘turned his back and walked away’.

The 53 elected representatives are due to debate a proposal from Deputy Shona Pitman that, if successful, would put enough money back into the budget to allow for a two per cent pay increase for staff.