A claim has been submitted by the union representing the 1,500 States and parish manual workers which will cost taxpayers’ £1.5 million if it is successful.
The workers also want a one-hour cut in their working week to 37 hours to bring them into line with other public-sector employees.
And it seems that the manual workers will be the first of a number of employee groups to challenge the declaration from ministers and States Chief Executive Bill Ogley that there will be no increase in wages for public employees in the 12 months from the end of June.
The pay claim comes while States budgets are running at multi-million-pound deficits and are expected to do so for at least another two years. Many in the private sector face pay freezes and job insecurity this year.
States head of employee relations Mick Pinel confirmed that he had received the pay claim and would be responding in due course.
