The Civil Service Commission has drawn up new pay proposals, the details of which were released to members of the Service on Friday 21st August.
The proposals have been drawn up on the back of ongoing discussions with the Government Officer's Association, which in turn were triggered by a claim made by the Association for a Civil Service pay award.
The proposals have been prefaced with a statement from the Commission explaining its rationale.
"The Commission....has had to be mindful of the prevailing economic climate," it runs, "its impact on local businesses and employment, and issues of affordability, including possible consequences in respect of Government's revenues and expenditure.
"The Commission is aware that the funding for any increase in Civil Service pay and benefits would have to be found from within existing budgets and it is believed that this could only be achieved through cuts in public services and/or the loss of jobs.
"For nearly a decade, Civil Service pay has increased by more than inflation and benefits have also improved to the extent that within the local employment market, Civil Service terms and conditions overall remain competitive.
"Therefore, the Commission is of the view that a sensible balance must be found between the use of public funds and the reasonable treatment of staff having regard to current pay and benefits."
The Commission's Proposals
1. No compulsory job losses for the period up to 31st March 2010.
2. Pay and allowances to remain unaltered for the same period. This would not affect normal pay progression within existing scales for those civil servants not already on their pay scale maximum.
3. Restrictions on access to sick pay scheme to be removed (with effect from 1st April, 2009), and no restrictions implemented with respect to new recruits from the same date.
The Commission has added that those proposals which might be self-funding through adjustments to benefits or existing terms and conditions of service would undergo further discussion between the Commission and Association.
