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22.09.20
12 Deputy C.S. Alves of the Chair, States Employment Board regarding the living
wage (OQ.92/2022)
Will the chair update the Assembly on any contracts issued to companies that undertake work for the Government where the company is not paying their employees the living wage?
Deputy K.L. Moore (The Chief Minister):
With Deputy Alves 's agreement, the Constable of St. John will answer this question.
Connétable A.N. Jehan of St. John (Member, States Employment Board - rapporteur):
Since 2019, the Government of Jersey requires its suppliers to pay the living wage and our standard suite of contract terms require this. We are also launching a new supplier code of conduct which sets out our minimum requirements for all our suppliers in order to do business with the Government of Jersey.
- Deputy C.S. Alves :
During the last term, there were questions asked about this and we were told that some contractors were still on old contracts that did not require them to pay their employees the living wage. Can the Constable please give us details whether these contracts are still in place and, if so, when will they be up for renewal and what work is being done to ensure that all employees are paid the living wage?
The Connétable of St. John :
The agreement that was signed in 2019 stated that existing contracts were being updated as they were renewed, with the final target date of August 2024. The Government is now looking at bringing that date forward and also looking at changing the criteria. The current criteria was for services carried out on government premises for more than 2 hours a day or more than 8 hours a week for 8 consecutive weeks. Both that criteria and the end date are being reviewed.
- Deputy S.Y. Mézec :
Can the Constable confirm that there are people who are doing work on behalf of the Government of Jersey through contractors who are still currently being paid less than the living wage?
The Connétable of St. John :
I do not know if that is accurate or not. If the Deputy or any other Member has concerns over a specific contract, I would invite them to contact me with the details. Clearly, the previous Government put in place a review of existing contracts as they were renewed and so I cannot answer that this morning.
- Deputy C.S. Alves :
What checks, if any, are done with the contractors who claim to be paying the living wage to ensure that they are?
The Connétable of St. John :
It is very clear in the contract that the contractors and any subcontractors that they employ are to be paid the living wage. I would need to get back to the Deputy in terms of what checks are put in place.