The Transport and General Workers Union said that the proposal to sell the States-owned utility to a private company ‘has set alarm bells ringing loud and clear’ across the rest of the public sector.
Although Jersey Telecom staff are represented by the Amicus trade union, Nick Corbel of the TGWU said that many members of his union wanted to ensure that there was a public expression of their support for the telecommunication workers.
Mr Corbel said his members are also concerned that the proposed Jersey Telecom sell-off ‘will be the first of many’, and he said that some senior ministers ‘are now showing their true colours’ on the issue of privatising services that have traditionally been provided by public-sector workers.
‘Parts of the public sector are being transferred into groups and organisations which could then be privatised,’ said Mr Corbel.
‘There are plans to incorporate Jersey Harbours and the Airport.
Many of these things could be sold off at the drop of a hat and there is a real danger in our view that the underlying plan is to privatise.’
