States workers accept pay deal
Wednesday 14th April 2010, 3:00PM BST.
Union leader Nick Corbel
FEARS of mass public sector strikes receded today following the announcement that the States manual workers have accepted a two-year pay deal.
The workers – historically the most militant grouping within the States sector – voted by 380 to 369 in favour of a two per cent pay rise from 1 January 2010 and again from 1 January 2011. There were seven spoilt papers.
Speaking this morning, Unite union leader Nick Corbel, whose strong rhetoric has threatened industrial action for months and who represents the manual workers, parish staff and technicians balloted, insisted that the result was not a defeat.
‘The battle has not yet begun,’ he said. ‘The battle lines are being drawn up. I fear that the government has pursued its own agenda and, no matter what we say or do, we will be ignored. The only alternative we have is to draw up battle lines, even though that is very much our last resort.’
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Good boy Comrade Nick.
I presume the illustrated version of “Recession for Dummies” has now been returned to the library?
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Mr. Corbel seems to be one of that growing band of people who thinks that democracy is a good idea only if the vote goes your way
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why
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His members hardly bother to vote only about half so they don’t seem that concerned. Then of the ones who did vote the majority voted to accept this deal, as they know it is a good deal in todays world. When Will Corbel stop ranting liek he is in the 1970′s.
If he wants to be a politician he should stand and see how he does not try and wreck our island by calling strikes not even his members want!!!
I think he should resign as he got this so wrong.
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Of course they accepted it!
I would love to be guaranteed a MINIMUM 2% pay rise for the next two years…
The last pay rise I received was 3 years ago and that was 1.5%!
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Chubber 5.
Re: “The last pay rise I received was 3 years ago and that was 1.5%!”
That’s because you’re not in a union!
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” The only alternative we have is to draw up battle lines, even though that is very much our last resort.”
Oh yeh, our Nicky boy hates confrontation, still they accepted the 2% rise for the next 2 years. Not that it was about money of course, no they were threatening strike action because their democratic right to negotiate was being undermined, well that and some teachers had to watch kids for half an hour once a week on one of those rare weeks when they were working.
Chubber I’m with you mate, I haven’t had a pay rise for 2 years and won’t get one this year either, still we both know we’re facing tough times and are prepared to tighten the belt. Serves us right for not being militants and trying to help our respective companies survive.
I’m pleased to see that the kids won’t be punished for their teacher’s greed.
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Jock…read the article again. The teachers haven’t agreed to anything yet; this is about the manual workers. We still plan to take action against the detrimental working conditions that threaten the educational standards of the island. Sorry.
Mick
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7. Jock – Unfortunately, i think this is the manual workers only, not the teachers.
I agree with tom that Corbel should go. Its very clear from this that he has no interest in serving his members only stirring up trouble to justify his existence.
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Yes this only an acceptance of a cost of living award not an acceptance to stand down on other issues. The teachers are just one group who are at present in dispute, there are still groups of manual workers who, rightly so, are fighting for better conditions. This has nothing to do with the current economic climate and most of these have been ongoing for 2-3 years!!
Some groups were promised better conditions which they never received!
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@5 & @7
You really need to get better jobs!….. Or join a union, although @7, the fact you didnt realise the teachers havent settled anything yet may highlight why you have done neither!
Still, gotta laugh huh!
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Born Warrior #6
“That’s because you’re not in a union!”
I have not had a pay rise this year either.
I could have thrown all the toys out the pram and threatened to work to my contract, resign,(with my “in Jersey” unique skills and qualifications I could bring more pressure to bear on my employer than any union representing unskilled workers) not work through my tea breaks etc, but no I looked around me and saw how the island workers as a whole were suffering in an attempt to pull us out of this recession with our skills and employed labour resources still reasonably intact. Ready to be competitive when things return to normal (or at least better than it is now).
I decided (something a union member is prevented from doing by the very fact they are a union member)I would not take a free ride on the shoulders of those trying to benefit us all in the long term. I spoke to my employer and no rise meant a lesser risk of redundancies(throughout the company not just me) and a more secure future for the company.
I can not speak for Chubber but I suspect its red rants such as we hear in this article from the supposedly responsible, selfish, top mouthpiece of the biggest union in the island, that’s the reason many of us are not in unions.
Today’s date is 15/04/2010 not 15/04/1960.
You are right, that probably is the reason a lot of us are not getting rises.
Do you think we are wrong, not wanting to be part of this selfishness ?
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Well said PJG
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Those of you consistently failing to get a payrise may need to face the possibility that you just aren’t very good at your job..
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@ PJG
btw did you notice how over half of the Manual Labours voted NOT to strike and actually accepted the pay deal?
Hard to square with your comment that you lose your ability to make decisions by being part of a union.
What line of work are you in, out of interest?
TvC
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baz
@5 & @7
You really need to get better jobs!….. Or join a union
Can’t speak for Chubber but I’m happy with my job, I have a good boss who is fair and who I know is struggling to keep us all employed at this difficult time. I prefer to join the team effort and knuckle under to sustain the business, I’ve never been a union member and never will. Oh sure you can crush your company into non existence ( like British Airways staff are doing ) or you can contribute to the company’s continued existence.
Apologies for my earlier mistake, it appears that the kids may yet be punished for their teachers’ greed ( what kind of example are they setting to our kids )
Some of us feel loyalty ( get the dictionary out public sector workers ) to our employers and this is reciprocated, there’s no need for a union if you have a good boss.
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PJG
I’ve never been in a union nor will I ever need one, simply because I have excellent leverage in my sphere and I choose to use it. I work with multinational companies and they’re all crying and I’m very very sad (I don’t think!) but I want what I’m worth and not a penny less…so how can I criticise others for wanting the same.
I know there are a lot of people out there who have chosen to take a step back…good for them, but no moaning please, this is real-life not Employer’s Disneyland!
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I’d love to be around when Born Warrior finds out that “Nobody is indispensable”
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Trotsky von Commie #15
You say
“btw did you notice how over half of the Manual Labours voted NOT to strike and actually accepted the pay deal?”
I did,
I also noted how 369 were prepared to cause massive disruption to achieve their selfish demands, and the “The battle has not yet begun “comment by NC.
Pity the 380 did not press for no pay rise as a token of their support for the rest of the islands struggle.They would have gained a lot of respect from that I am sure.
You also say
“Hard to square with your comment that you lose your ability to make decisions by being part of a union.”
The term SCAB is used for a union member who makes their own decisions I believe ?
Not that it matters, I work in a specialised part of the construction industry and one of my many qualifications concerns the design and use of explosive charges.
Born Warrior #17
You say
“but I want what I’m worth and not a penny less”
Move over in the trough, Nick and the greedy 369 need some more room.
I repeat
Do you think we are wrong, not wanting to be part of this selfishness ?
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PJG @12
Rather a generalisation implying manual workers are all unskilled don’t you think???? In fact quite offensive! BTW civil servants are also represented by a union as are nurses, paramedics, firefighters, or do you also consider these professions unskilled?
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K #20
My apologies if you found my comment “unskilled” offensive, in retrospect perhaps it was a poor choice of words, probably due to my assumption skill equates to intelligence, equates not wanting NK to wield a big stick for one, equates to understanding of the world around one, equates to wanting to make things better for all.
As I have said before to ASSUME can make an ASS out of U and ME, on this particular count I plead guilty, I made an assumption, but I don’t think it was that far off the mark.
Still if that’s the only part of my comment you challenge ?
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PJG
The only thing that I consider wrong is ‘GIVING UP ONE’S RIGHTS’…and before Nick, the greedy 369 and I get anywhere near the trough, we’ll have to push some insatiable employers out of the way first!
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By 2020, labor productivity in Russia will grow two and a half times and the average monthly salary will be 2,700 dollars. Said head of the Russian presidential administration Sergei Naryshkin with reference to the targets of development for the country in the next 10 years.
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And why is it we still have unions in the 21st century? Couldn’t be anything to do with awkward (or worse) employers? Maybe some live in a make believe world were everything is fine and dandy, but the vast majority don’t.
It wouldn’t surprise me if there are some employers doing rather well out of all this at the moment over here. I have never known an employer to be slow in coming up with excuses for not increasing wages have you?
It is about time some on here looked back into history to see why unions first came about. If these same people really think things have changed they are very much mistaken IMHO.
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If some bright spark hadn’t had the idea of abolishing slavery all those years ago we wouldn’t have these pesky unions to deal with today. What right have they to withdraw their labour anyway?
Note to other commentators: ‘Manual’ does not necessarily mean ‘menial’.
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Born Warrior #22
OH yes
to give up ones rights to selfishly say “but I want what I’m worth and not a penny less”
I am pleased that people with attitudes like that appear to be in the minority.
How do you square that statement with a union negotiating a rate for the job no matter how good a person is at doing that job?
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C Le Verdic 18.
Re: I’d love to be around when Born Warrior finds out that “Nobody is indispensable”
Don’t hold your breath!
How many 5-language-fluent technical writers, specialised in embedded technology engineering do you know?
I might not be indispensable but I’m rare…very rare!
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We can thank the 6 from tolpuddle 1830-40 I think?
Vilified and sent to australia for forming a union to earn a decent wage for working on farms for a pittance and barely earned enough to stay alive,thanks to the greedy farmers of the day.
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PJG
Re: “I am pleased that people with attitudes like that appear to be in the minority.”
You are right, people with my attitude are in the minority, simply because people with unique skills are in the minority.
Workers with unique skills benefit the companies they work for. Thus, they have leverage over their employers, in the same way as a company with unique products/services has leverage over the market…companies use their market leverage so why shouldn’t workers.
By the way, it is the union’s task to negotiate a rate for the job and it is the employer’s task to pick the best people to do it. If workers are not up to scratch then HRM is to blame and not the union.
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PJG
…and by HRM I mean Human Resource Management and noy Her Royal Majesty!
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“How many 5-language-fluent technical writers, specialised in embedded technology engineering do you know?”
- Only one, I thought BW must be you!!!
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Born Warrior
Let’s just hope your “unique” skills do not become obsolete…….then you might wish you had more marketable skills in your locker
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Mick
“We still plan to take action against the detrimental working conditions that threaten the educational standards of the island. Sorry”
You are such a drama queen
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Born Warrior #29
Many thanks for painting a picture of the selfish anti humanity to warn the kids against becoming.
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@BS Deluxe
How DARE you call me a drama queen? That’s it – I’m leaving this island. Forever.
That’ll show you.
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BS DeLuxe
Re: “Let’s just hope your “unique” skills do not become obsolete…….then you might wish you had more marketable skills in your locker”
I could always go back into teaching, it was my very first income stream as a fledgling. However, when all the world speaks one, language, I might start to worry…nah, not me!
PJG
Re: “Many thanks for painting a picture of the selfish anti humanity to warn the kids against becoming.”
Hold on a minute, Mr I-Love-my-fellow-man, weren’t you the one who didn’t want to give the excess-hospital sandwiches to the poor in the park? Tut-Tut-Tut!
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Today I am informed by friends that the C. O. M. ( the council of millionaires ) has increased school fees, great some may say, if you can afford to pay……blah blah…. later I hear that Sen. Ozouf our own Wizard of Oz plans to stop education for children with learning difficulties over the age of 16yrs, ……because he is not obliged to do so legally. ! Last year he wanted to stop the elderly getting on transport, close youth clubs, now the more vunerable, were will this man get off, when will he be satisfied that he has milked the poor and vunerable for all he can, before he wakes up and realises he needs to increase income tax to pay for services. not slash services to line the pockets of 1 (1K’s ). Middle Jersey has had enough, the poor cannot take anymore. The wealthy of this island will wake one day soon to find the hospitals, schools, police, fire brigade, prison service, street cleaners, civil servants etc have all gone home. They are now mobile as well as the rich. Listen Wizard, it’s time to send Ogley and his extreme right wing ideas home, not that you will listen until it’s too late.
Please join the teachers on Saturday to stop these service cuts….before it’s your son, daughter, father , grandfather or feotus that Ozouf harms next.
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@Anon
They are also axing the peripatetic music service, meaning that unless you have the money to afford private instrumental lessons…your child won’t be learning to play any musical instruments any time soon.
Again, no big deal to the wealthy, but a crying shame if you are on middle to low-income.
Still, at least the big foreign businesses stinging us with their over-inflated prices get to rake in their earnings tax free. For every cloud etc
Mick
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Born Warrior#36
No, I was the one who wanted the waste eliminated so we could pay the nurses a better wage.
Lets get the facts right before we “tut tut tut”
And it was the drunks in the park not the poor.
For such a supposedly qualified individual you do appear to be very slap dash in your references?
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PJG 39.
Oh, so the drunks in the park are rich now, are they?
And now you want to give pay rises to greedy States workers, do you?
However, as per usual, you’re right! I’m so slap dash with my references that companies I work with are willing to pay me what I ask…no questions! It must be due to my outstanding good looks and corporate dress style…it can’t possibly have anything to do with my quite fascinating talents, unusual abilities and the fact they can’t find anyone else capable of doing it!
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Mick 35
Fair play….you took my comment, as it was meant, in jest.
Your response made me chuckle after a day at work….cheers
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…..I’ve got a unique skill!!
(unfortunately I can’t earn a living off of it though)
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Born Warrior #40
perhaps its your selective translation skills.
You know,
how you translate my “wanted the waste eliminated so we could pay the nurses a better wage.”
Into
“didn’t want to give the excess-hospital sandwiches to the poor in the park?
and want to give pay rises to greedy States workers”
one thing for sure its not your modesty!
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PJG
It was very naughty of me to interpret your original statements (using word perspective and not meaning perspective) to suit my argument, but I was only joking.
However, I truly thought you would detect the general air of tongue-in-cheekness of my posts, obviously not. Anyway, modesty is for people of moderate ability and smooth-tongued hypocrites!
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