Civil servants work on alternatives to pay cuts

| 11/03/2010

Cayman Islands News, Grand Cayman local news, Cayman Islands civil service(CNS): Following an emergency meeting that brought together around 700 public sector workers on Monday, the president of the Cayman Islands Civil Service Association said that he and his colleagues would be spending Wednesday evening putting the finishing touches to their collective thoughts regarding government’s proposed salary cuts. James Watler told CNS that Monday night’s meeting went well but raised more questions than answers for many public sector workers. He explained that for some it was the first time they were really hearing the details of the proposed salary and benefit cuts, which caused genuine concern.

Watler said he could not yet reveal the full content of the document that was being submitted to the Deputy Governor, as required by protocol, but once it had gone through the first official member to the premier, the president said he would be happy to reveal what the membership had suggested and their thoughts on the cuts.

The meeting had provided his membership with an opportunity to question both the premier, who was there for a short time, and senior officials. I believe people conducted themselves in a professional manner as they raised their concerns and questions,” Watler said. He said it was a difficult time for his membership as it would be for anyone who was confronted with a threat to their earnings. “Civil servants are moderate people, but they are being asked to bleed from a three way cut,” he said, referring to the proposal to reduce their earnings, cut their health benefits and freeze their pensions.

Watler said that during the previous discussions that had taken place last year when the public sector was faced with possible salary and benefit cuts, civil servants had tended towards the idea of taking unpaid leave each month which would have the same effect on government expenditure but at least offer something back to staff for their loss of earnings.

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  1. Anonymous says:

    Research on leadership indicates that 50-75% of organisations currently are managed by people sorely lacking in leadership competence.

    Such leaders often also lack an appreciation of how the various parts of the organisation work as a whole which is known as "Systems Thinking" causing them to manage or lead by crisis. They are often poor communicators who are insensitive to morale issues; they tend to be viewed as mistrustful, over-controlling, and micro-managing. This inability to recognise how the organization functions as a system leads to their failure to follow through on initiatives or committments resulting in ineffective teams, low morale, poor quality, alienated employees, and costly attrition.

    Is the Civil Service faced with such leadership issues? Why are innocent members of the Civil Service having to pay for the leadership mistakes of others when the warnings were given?

    • Anonymous says:

      . "They are often poor communicators who are insensitive to morale issues; they tend to be viewed as mistrustful, (yes) over-controlling (yes) , and micro-managing ‘(yes). This inability to recognise howthe organization functions as a system leads to their failure to follow through on initiatives (yes)  or committments resulting in ineffective teams (yes) , low morale (yes) , poor quality, alienated employees (yes) , and costly attrition.

      Is the Civil Service faced with such leadership issues? (yes) Why are innocent members of the Civil Service having to pay for the leadership mistakes of others when the warnings were given?"  (Don’t know)

  2. Wake me when it's over says:

    First of all, cut the free pension and health insurance this was a ridiculous idea to begin with.

    Then hand in the Blackberries.

    And stop the free cell usage and

    Stop the two hour lunches and Freedom Fridays.

    Then hand in the gas cards (including the ones which were sold). 

    Then one day per week unpaid leave and see if we notice a difference.

    Then two days.

    With the same criteria.

    Then three days and see if anyone notices a difference.

    Then one week.

    Shared amongst all the civil servants.

    Then two weeks.

    And if the public hasn’t complained by then.

    I guess you got your answer.

     

  3. Anonymous says:

    Just fire them already and move on

  4. Frequent Flyer says:

    So now nobody has to follow protocol??

    Nice

    :o[

    (BTW -I don’t think they should lose their pension benefits)

  5. Anonymous says:

    Is’nt this a case of keeping the cake but eating it too.

    No pay cuts, no loss of pension or health care but a smaller work week.

    If you work less days per week then you should be paid less per week.

    Maybe someone who is more coherent on the subject can explain what the Civil Servants really mean.

    As I see it now they seem to want more than they presently receive.

    • Anonymous says:

      FYI

      "…civil servants had tended towards the idea of taking unpaid leave each month which would have the same effect on government expenditure but at least offer something back to staff for their loss of earnings"

      UNPAID leave means that "If you work less days per week then you should be paid less per week."

  6. Common Sense says:

     Great and please try doing what the city of Detroit and Chase bank did, "Payless Paydays"  look it up….2 days a month off.  The offices SHUT DOWN.  Maybe we would need to go to a 4-day work weeks instead of five.  Either cut your pay (and enjoy the day to run your errands).  It is either time or people – cuts must come one way or the other or both!  

     

  7. But then . . . says:

    "civil servants had tended towards the idea of taking unpaid leave each month which would have the same effect on government expenditure but at least offer something back to staff for their loss of earnings."

    What clearer evidence is there that we have too bloated a civil service – they themselves accept they can work a short week and still provide the requisite services.  Rather than 1 day a week unpaid leave, let’s just cut 20% of thejobs (which represents 1 day a week on unpaid leave) and then cut the wages/benefits of the remainder too. 

     

    • Anonymous says:

      I read the evidence pretty clear. Maybe it is muddy to you? UNPAID LEAVE, no mention of accepting that they can still provide the requisite services while working a shorter week. Quit making up stuff from nothing and get your facts straight.