Ministers heckled and booed by protesting teachers outside States building

  • Deputy Kristina Moore and Constable Andy Jehan were heckled and booed by protesting teachers

Jersey's Chief Minister and one of her Assistant Chief Ministers have been heckled and booed by teachers protesting in the Royal Square this lunchtime.

As Deputy Kristina Moore and Constable Andy Jehan left the States Chamber, they were faced with hundreds of teachers and headteachers who turned out to protest the 7.9% pay rise offered by the States Employment Board, which they chair.

While other public sector workers accepted the same offer, the National Education Union argues the deal is a "real-terms pay cut" and are calling for a rise of 15.4%.

During the island's last teaching strike in July, Deputy Moore and other government ministers engaged with protesting teachers, making speeches from the steps of the States building.

The SEB's Chair and Vice-Chair, Deputy Kristina Moore and Constable Andy Jehan, speaking to protesting teachers in July Credit: ITV Channel

But months down the line, the ongoing impasse between the government and unions appears to have caused tensions - and voices - to rise.

Protesters booed and heckled as politicians left the States building, with chants of "Save Jersey's Schools" drowning out conversations in the Royal Square.

Constable Andy Jehan, the Vice Chair of the States Employment Board, briefly addressed the crowd.

He told ITV News: "We'd like to go to arbitration. We offered arbitration back in June and that offer is still there.

"We've increased the amount of people we employ in schools. We've offered them what we believe to be a reasonable pay increase and we're reviewing terms and conditions."

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