5% COLA for civil servants plus review of lower salaries
(CNS): Premier Juliana O’Connor-Connolly has announced the approval of a 5% increase in the cost of living allowance for civil servants, which will start on 1 January. She said the pay raise is to address the widening gap between salaries and the rate of inflation, and there is a need to bolster overall compensation packages to keep them competitive with the international and local talent market. The premier also said the lower salaries are to be reviewed and increased to ensure no civil servant earns less than $3,000 per month.
The premier revealed the pay increase during Thursday’s meeting of parliament. She said civil servants “work tirelessly to deliver government services to the public” and ensure the smooth running of government, which relies on them to fulfil policy objectives.
“It is imperative that the government ensures civil servants are not at a disadvantage in terms of their salaries and can live comfortably in the same community they serve,” she said, adding that there would be a review of lower pay grades.
“In the coming months, the government, along with the senior leadership in the civil service, will be reviewing additional pay strategies to address the salaries of those civil servants on the three lowest pay grades, namely grades R, Q and P. The aim of this future project… is to uplift those pay grades so that the minimum pay that any civil servant can receive will be $3,000 a month.”
She said the initiative was supported by the government and it would ensure that civil servants are properly compensated, adding that she expected the opposition to support the review.
On behalf of civil servants, Acting Deputy Governor Eric Bush expressed gratitude for the COLA increase, saying it was “timely and necessary”. Pointing to the rising cost of living and the impact it has on civil servants, he said the ability to implement the COLA was a reflection of the commitment by the civil service to financial prudence.
While it was not clear how the pay increase would be funded, it was implied it would come from the anticipated surplus at the end of the year.
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Category: Government Administration, Politics
The Premier believes that all civil service employees deserve a minimum monthly income of $3,000. I am fine with that as that is slightly above what one needs to live here.
But $3,000 a month implies $18.75 per hour over a 160 hour work month. So how can she remotely justify leaving the general minimum wage at $6 per hour??? How is that fair?
Finally! The govt pay gap is real!
And those good workers serving at less than $3,00/month should be given backpay.
Especially so in the GOCs where there is much disparity!
Many in the civil service have a sense of entitlement- as in they have been there 10, 12, 16, 20 years so I am entitled to a raise. Beofre the pay raise, the questions that should be asked are- has your perfomance been raised?, has your educational level been raised?
But the timing is impeccably effective 4 months before elections, thus making the argument for vote buying.
First we had KB asking for taxi drivers to ‘protest’ the need for a cruise port (vote buying) now we have this pay increase (vote buying).
HEADLINE NEWS!!
The Premier and Deputy Governor distinctly fail to promise 5% increase in efficiency in the Civil Service output……or 3% or even 1%!?
Franzies for All!
Hardcore vote buying. these sorts of decisions should be announced by one of the infinite boards we have, not from a minister.
This is called buying the votes. What will Seymour offer to get his votes? Rides on his donkey? This woman is sickening.
Another glorious day for the civil service……time for more awards franz!
Keep asking….
How many recommendations of the miller-shaw or ernst & young reports have been implemented?
Also glorious day for lunch time expensive red wine sales at senior civil servant’s favorite restaurant .
Well, well surprise, surprise, vote for me!!
No money???
There we go! Juliana and the CI Gov buying votes again….shouldnt this sort of announcement and pay rise so close to an election be illegal and automatically investigated and then prosecuted?
WTAF!
Whatever happened to CIG paying people what they are worth not more than they are worth?
The Premier just loves spending other people’s money. It has to give her great satisfaction.
Step in the right direction. No employer should be paying less than a living wage (below the NAU assistance line). But until we get that it is right for the Government to lead by example.
if you look at the Government latest financial performance the civil service has saved $25m in their HR budget. More than enough to fund the COLA.
I know the private sector regularly gives huge bonuses and COLA. I hope those that don’t will follow the civil service lead.
I have been working in the Civil Service for the last 5 years after 15 years in the private sector.
joining the civil service was my best decision. Working for an employer whose leadership cares about its employees is so refreshing.
Guess we know who you voting for then!
it ever dawned on you that if you weren’t valued after 15 years maybe you’re not a valuable employee?
Ahhh, the good old “spend it or lose it’ civil service mentality.
Well, we need some way of knowing when elections are upcoming.
1. 5% isn’t in line with the high cost of living here.
2. When raising those bottom salaries to $3K I hope they will be getting more responsibility and training. No one should get a raise in salary just to make Juju look good. We all need to earn it.
Hey, making JuJu look good is no easy task.
Election time.
Soon we will only have WP holders and people who work for CIG.
Stupid comment. I’m Caymanian, work in the private sector and would rather stop work than work for Government. I’d go postal within a very short period of time.
Rich people getting richer while poor people getting poorer! Any raise in civil servant wages cash come from taxpayers! Government need to cut back on number of civil servants working.
Maybe if they put in the work. Until then, work harder!
Yay! But I am still not voting for them.
Vote buying, nothing to see here.