Strike threat over Bellozanne dispute
Wednesday 1st February 2012, 2:59PM GMT.
Unite leader Nick Corbel
WORKERS at Bellozanne are threatening industrial action over changes to their terms and conditions which will force them to take a pay cut.
Sixteen workers at the so-called bulky waste section of the plant have been balloted over action after the management put forward changes to overtime arrangements.
Unite union leader Nick Corbel said today that his members were ‘outraged’ by the changes, which he said had been ‘effectively forced down the workers’ throats’.
John Rogers, chief officer of the Transport department, was unavailable for comment.
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Oh dear, surely at last one day can pass without Red Nick spouting off about how terrible bosses are!
Poor diddums overpaid States’ workers having to work a bit harder like the poor Joes in the private sector.
There’s a recession on Nick …. tell your bruvvers to man up and be thankful for a job!
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This is absolutely fair enough. No employer should be allowed to change their workers terms and conditions without discussions with their workforce and obtaining their consent.
But nevertheless, prepare for an onslaught of angry right wingers who would say black is white if a Union said it was black..
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OK, let’s shake on that. The agreement should stick, which includes pay rates. Don’t increase pay either then, as this is also in the original agreement! You can’t have it both ways!
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It depends on how you define having it both ways.
I signed a contract over a year ago with my employer. Since then the cost of living in Jersey has effectively gone up around 5% – we have increased our prices accordingly.
Is it really so unreasonable for me to expect my salary to increase in line with the cost of living?
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Sam, from my reading Mr Rogers was putting forward proposals which Mr Corbel has rejected with a treat of strike action. I hate to say this, but on this Real Truthseeker may be right.
In the modern world you need to adapt or die. The civil service in Jersey is bloated and need to be reformed, from top to bottom.
Where I differ from Real Truthseeker is my belief that Philip Ozouf Jr is part of the problem rather than than the man with the solution.
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Oz is the PROBLEM Jersey should be comfortable but his handling of the economy has created the entire mess. The lime st. debacle, Lies over GST, the insane benefit system, huge pay offs for civil servants who RESIGN, the man with 2 B’s and a C at A level, telling us how JERSEY should be run. Remember his GST promises come his election time.
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Tell them not to bother striking – just leave !! there are 2500+ people who would be fighting for their jobs – at the old rates !
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So the islands working conditions are just a race to the bottom then? Sounds great.
Why can’t people just support people who are trying to fight for better conditions instead of putting them down and telling everyone they must bend over and accept less.
If you have rubbish conditions, don’t be jealous, get out their and argue for better conditions for yourselves!
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Appealing to struggling taxpayers, whose incomes are falling, to maintain his members pay during a recession ? Seriously nick, think it through before going public with your ‘thoughts’. No wonder John rogers wasn’t available for comment. Probably couldn’t stop laughing
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Nick Corbel is getting more like Red Robbo every day ( for younger readers) he was the guy responsible for killing off British Leyland – does this guy not know what is happening in the real world – these 16 guys should be glad they’ve got a job (with a states pension)
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When oh when are we going to stop denigating States workers , this recession seems to bring out an attitude of blame ,anybody who is trying to support staff at least deserves listening to and for debate to take place.Sadly it appears that heading for the lowest common denominator is the new game in town , how does this help anybody?
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1. tell that to the JNWW co and see how far that gets you. If you raise prices, wages have to go up as well unless you want to plunge lots more people into poverty. Jersey is a very expensive place to live hence wages have to be higher to compensate for this.
Bosses aren’t there to be nice they are their to screw every last drop of work from the workforce. They keep their workers wages as low as possible whilst paying themselves big wages and giving themselves big bonuses regardless of whether they warrent it or not.
P.S. I wonder whether the chief officer’s salary will also be reduced or is he immune from such events?
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This is very bad, the States are using the recession as an excuse to force through whatever they like,with no thoughts for the consequences.Any worker in their right mind will not work overtime for less money,so someone else (or subcontractor) will have to cover for them at extra cost.Or maybe they want to create bad conditions so that they all leave.The start of privatisation of states depts by stealth I think.
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I love that last comment obtaining the consent of the workers before cutting their overtime not basic pay, their overtime.
Nick Corbel represents people who are no longer in touch with the rest of society who pays their wages from ever diminishing packets.
It is time the island stopped being blackmailed.
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Quite right why should the wealthy black the middle classes with threats to go else were if they have to pay tax. They have never had it so good and could never have it better anywere else, so stop them black mialing us OZ and tax them the same as everyone else and cut out the acountants loop holes.
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Where were they in the early 90′s when members of the JECs commercial division were forced to surrender a weeks holiday, work longer hours and wages cut?
No threats of industrial action then was there? No acts of solidarity?
The ones who didn’t like it walked (The dirty dozen as they were known then), the ones who did stayed and swallowed the decision.
Happens all the time but States workers are the only ones who bleat about it.
Be happy you still have jobs, you have enjoyed the easy times, get with the program and take it like a man. Work like the rest of us.
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You won’t get a reply mate.
People who support them in here are obviously States workers themselves, they will ignore your comment, a classic trait on this forum I’m afraid.
They only care about themselves. Hope you found work if you are one of the ones who walked.
Just found some temping work but it won’t last for long, then I really will have to sell the gaff (if I can) and leave.
States boys are ok though, just losing a bit of overtime.
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Lord haw haw,you know nowt about the working men and women on the lower tier of states workers ,just what you read about on here about the ones that get the big pay offs for messing up there jobs,Dont tar us all with the same brush ,thank you.
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Jersey calling, Jersey calling.
Au contraire Claret dave.
I do know about the lower tier working men and women. When referring to States’ employees I use the term “working” lightly.
However, if you mean a 1970’s British Leyland style union controlled workforce, bloated by years of inefficiency and wages far higher than what could be commanded in the private sector then you are spot on!
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You may remember that Britsih layland was a success until Thatcher ruined the manufacturing sector. Just like OZ is ruining Jersey. You HAW HAW are extreme right wing friut bat.
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Jersey calling, Jersey calling.
“Anon”, I am afraid that too many years of singing “The Red Flag” has tainted your glasses with a slightly rose colour.
Please allow me to enlighten you.
British Leyland ( note correct spelling) was an amalgamation of some of the best known names in British car making history – names such as MG, Austin, Jaguar etc. With so many pedigrees in one stable you would have thought that the company would be a world leading powerhouse in car design and innovation. Sadly for the British car industry, the 1970’s saw radical changes in production techniques and staff ability in the Far East ( notably Japan ) and Germany. Who can forget such iconic cars as the VW Golf, Audi Quattro and the cheap reliable Honda’s ?
BL responded with laughable examples of poorly built, unreliable models such as the Allegro, Marina and of course – the much vaunted, but much laughed at Princess. The Allegro even had a (ahem) SQUARE steering wheel – thankfully all replaced free of charge!
In the late 1960’s, Longbridge was the worlds biggest car plant. Enter one Derek Robinson (AKA Red Robbo) – who led the company into countless disputes. One example being a month long strike over a cut in their tea breaks.
The National Enterprise Board took control of BL in 1975 with a goal of returning the company to profit by 1981 but money due to be spent on updating manufacturing techniques was diverted to averting the countless strikes.
Red Robbo has been credited with causing 523 walk outs between 1978 and 1979 causing up to £200m in lost production. He was thankfully sacked !
As a side note – we haven’t even voted in a Conservative government …. Maggie Thatcher was still in opposition. Your beloved Labour party were still at the helm of the sinking ship of a country ( remember the winter of discontent?) called Britain.
Anyway, I digress.
To, so recap – BL was never a success I am afraid. The companies which made up BL on conception were a success. However, blighted by years of overstaffing, poor workmanship ( and I mean really, really poor), failure to move with the times and led by unions hell bent on undermining the profitability of the company led to its downfall.
Maggie of course went head to head with the unions in the early 80’s. I would be more than happy to supply you with a brief history of that period if you so desire.
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I think if you read past the sensationalism in the first paragraph and badly reported ‘forced to take a pay cut’
it is actually a change to overtime arrangements and not basic pay.
overtime/bonuses are at the discretion of the employer they are not a given and should not be relied on especially in a down turn.
This kind or rhetoric from union bosses plus their calls for pay rises shows how disconnected they are from commerce, the majority of tax payers and the world economy. they are not helping their members by taking this stance. they should be actively engaging with government to find a solution or sadly i think the future will mean less jobs for their members rather than less overtime money.
If they haven’t noticed there is a rather lot of people officially registered as out of work and looking for gainful employ who would probably jump at the chance to have a basic wage let alone overtime.
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“they should be actively engaging with government to find a solution”
The government has changed their conditions without the workers permission. It is the government which needs to actively engage.
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Forget about giving them overtime to cover the weekend shift, assuming their is enough staff to cover the roster pay them a shift arrangement and remove the overtime payment all together, or stop OT payment and bring in flex leave, and if they are being paid at an inappropriate rate for the post, revaluate, give them sufficient notice and phase out any annual pay rises until their pay equates the lower rate for the worth of the job……yes they will lose money in the long run, but as the effect is spread over a number of years the effect should minimised…….they should be getting paid the appropriate rate for the post, at the moment they are being paid at a rate equivalent to that of a skilled technician who has had to complete a four year apprenticeship…..doesn’t seem fair to me, get with the times Mr Corbel!!!
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Do I understand this correctly, Corbel claims his members will be forced to take a pay cut but the story says the change is to overtime arrangements.
Is overtime part of the normal working week in which caise I submit a review is in order or is it as it should be an ocassional practice to cope with increased demand.
BTW has Corbel got another suit? he always seems to be wearing the same one, must whiff a bit especially if he’s been to Bellozane, or did he not venture amongst the huddled masses.
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He could certainly take a lesson from Guernsey’s union man pictured in yesterday’s Guernsey Press.
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Im still laughing at the opinions of of all those unimformed readers about states pay scales , the states have never ever paid top dollar to any of their tradesmen or manual workers , the main reason anybody worked for them was stability which seems to be long gone, the only overpaid staff are management andthe states members themselves , add miles of useless red tape to the equasion and you can see where the money goes but as usual everybody kicks the workers at the bottom of the heap, by the way i am not a states worker , just fed up with jealous fools opening their mouths and letting their bellys rumble
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End overtime, employ a few more staff on shifts to cover the additional work that is currently done on far higer OT rates, reduce level of unemployed and therefore numbers needing income support, job done…simples!
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Too logical, Robert, but there’s probably some agreement to ensure they have overtime every week.
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Excellent idea Robert – create more jobs and reduce the unemployed. No more overtime for the greedy.
The States should also cut the huge numbers of bureaucrats – remember, “Bureaucracy is the art of making what is normally possible, impossible.”
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If only employers would look at this Robert. Zero overtime and more jobs for all. Simple and workable, surely.
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Incidentally does anyone have any specific information on what the new overtime terms are vs. the old ones? Might be useful to know what we’re all judging?!
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before we have another ‘go’ at these manual workers it would be nice to know how many managers these 16 men actually have(also at what cost).Can anyone answer this or is it like the payoffs lately where it is not for the taxpayers to know this.
I use these facilities on a regular basis and they have my full backing untill i know these figures.
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I was only able to find States of Jersey pay scales dating back to 2009 – a Grade 3/4 entry level manual worker actually earns over £1,000 more a year than I do in my office job (probably more than that 3 yrs later) – perhaps it’s time for me to branch out!
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Why are you shocked at the fact the manual workers are on more than you?? Just because you are in some sort of soul-less office job don’t criticize manual workers out in all weathers doing the more unglamorous jobs. You chose office work they chose sifting through rubbish for a living. There you go, sorry if you think that they should not get paid well because they are not in a menial office job (let’s face it grade 3/4 equivalent office job ain’t top of the pile) pretending to be a suit!
NC is there to be the mouthpiece of the manual workers and why should they not fight for their rights to retain current levels of remuneration, I would! You would be daft not to!
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If you’d actually read my post which at a whopping 4 lines would hardly have kept you up half the night, you’d have seen I don’t say anywhere that I wa shocked by what I found – assumption number one.
Assumption number two was that I was criticising manual workers for threatening to strike – as you will see from my earlier post, I give an example where external factors can affect the relative worth of a contract (in this case through inflation).
Assumption number three was that I don’t think I am paid well – where did I say that? I am very happy with the level of salary I receive as I’ve only recently got back into an office environment, one which far from being soulless helps to keep deserving members of the public like you and everyone here safe at night.
I have lost count of the times I have reminded people on here that if you do not pay attention to the facts you will leap to erroneous conclusion, do try to pay more attention in future
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States workers don’t help themselves to be honest. All the ones I know seem to be the hardest done by employees on the rock, and Nick Corbel doesn’t do much to gain public sympathy with his media capabilities. I’m working longer hours for the same pay, trying to hit targets to earn my bonus. Times are hard for all of us, states workers think the island owes them a living, and guaranteed overtime too! There are many under performers right through the civil service, privatisation of many departments is needed in my opinion.
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For those on here trying to scapegoat Corbel and calling him “out of touch” etc, Trade Unions are democratic organisations and therefore Corbel is just representing the will of the Unions membership.
He is essentially just a mouth piece and it is in fact the workers who make the decisions. So how about picking an argument with them instead and lets get some substance into the debate instead of this petty (and illogical) personal blaming.
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Nick Corbel…defend your men…that’s what you are there for and would be remiss in not doing…how many paper pushers run these guys…always looking to make cuts to justify their existence….management is so top heavy in the States everyone knows it…many will not acknowledge it…..basically screw the small people….save a mere 80k on the Top draw life guards, a miserly few grand from the sports council…an even more disgusting cut from school milk then threaten patient transport…notice all these things affect the small person…yet they give the likes of Ogley,Izatt,pollard.£1.3 Million for failure which could easily have paid for all the aforementioned and left about 3/4 of a million in change..it is truly disgusting…if you have to call a strike Mr Corbel I truly support you and your men…none of whom will get any golden handshake for doing a messy job in all conditions.
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Nick Corbel…defend your men
There is more to defending employment then dying in a ditch over the indefensible. In that respect Nick Corbel needs to adapt to the fast changing waste disposal operation of TTS.
However the ‘Ogley,Izatt,pollard.£1.3 Million’ you quote is a disgrace at the top for which the CoM have yet to find answers.
The Jersey civil service needs reform from top to bottom, starting at the top!
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Renegade,i can see why your not paid much in your office job.If you read my comments correctly you would of known i was on about the managers pay.I hope you don`t work in a bank.
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Ben,
I did read your post and saw you were talking about Managerial salaries – I then talked about manual worker’s salaries by comparison. This is the nature of a discussion, it can move on. Try to keep up.
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Indeed. He would “of” known.
Have course, he doesn’t work in a bank. The cause have this possible strike action is the unilateral behavior have the management.
The gap between the “ofs” and the “of nots” seems to get ever wider.
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I don’t want anyone to get the wrong idea from my rather tongue in cheek comment – I could never do the kind of work they do and have been a paid up Lib Dem for years.
Pragmatically speaking I wonder though if the Managers do back down on this, whether they might consider alternatives such as employing more people on a split shift basis – this would mean no one person would earn anything like the salary of a current, full time employee.
Let’s hope a solution can be found.
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No its easier to have an office job where you can read and post on social media, when you want, and then go out for a fag break etc etc.
Just because states workers get a reasonable wage doesn’t mean those or poor wages should be attacking their fellow workers. They should be pushing to improve their own lot instead of trying to drag others into relative poverty with themselves. Strength through solidarity.
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