Business lobby slams teacher strike action

Wednesday 17 April 2019

Jersey’s key business lobby group has taken the unusual step of wading into the dispute over teachers’ pay, condemning the risk to children’s education in the face of further strike action and possible school closures as “unconscionable".

In a media statement, the Jersey Chamber of Commerce has said it is breaking its silence on the issue of the public sector pay row, urging both sides to “find a solution” without allowing further strike action.

Their declaration comes hot on the heels of the National Education Union (NEU) calling upon its members to strike for eight days in May unless their pay demands are met.

The planned action will mark the second time that members of teaching unions have walked out over the pay dispute, following a rally attended by hundreds in the Royal Square last month. Some primary and secondary schools also had to close in January when industrial action was taken by teaching assistants, who fall under the civil service pay bracket.

Pictured: Hundreds of teachers and education staff rallied in the Royal Square last month.

In an unusual move, Chamber have decided to wade into the issue, claiming that the burden of dealing with further strike action will fall to businesses as well as condemning the risk posed to students’ education as “unconscionable".

Their strongly-worded statement reads: “Jersey Chamber of Commerce has chosen not to comment so far in this dispute, in the hope that both sides could find a resolution. However, Chamber President Eliot Lincoln, has become increasingly concerned by the significant impact on our members who have families and the businesses that employ them."

Mr Lincoln is then quoted as saying: “It is working families who are being most affected and the cost to those families and to businesses affected by the disruption is substantial. Chamber is calling on both sides to look at the consequences for those families and businesses carrying the cost of this action and find a solution."

Pictured: Jersey's Chamber of Commerce is asking for both sides to "find a solution" ahead of planned strike action.

“At this important time of exams for many pupils and in an era of the priority of ‘putting children first’, this is most untimely by both sides of the table.

"The disruption caused by this ongoing action is tangible and it is local business who is suffering – as well as the education of our children who are innocently caught in the middle of an ongoing industrial dispute which is unconscionable,” the Chamber President continues.

Expressing concern about parents “attempting to juggle extra time off” and “the costs incurred in any time off unpaid” as well as businesses having to manage “the loss of effectiveness… on strike days”, Chamber goes onto urge the government to put a childcare provision in place.

Pictured: The dispute between the States Employment Board (SEB) and public sector staff continues.

Mr Lincoln, President of the body which represents hundreds of local businesses, continued: “If the Government is unwilling to make this a priority to resolve, perhaps our Government should consider supporting local working families by putting on free childcare facilities for the days that teachers are striking. 

“Without meaningful signs of this dispute coming to an end, consideration must be taken on the effects to children, working parents and the productivity losses to business.” 

Meanwhile, tensions still mount elsewhere in the public sector, with firefighters unanimously rejecting their latest pay deal on Monday (15 April) and nurses retaining “concerns” about their terms and conditions after accepting their pay offer.