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Public sector unions have issued a furious response to moves being made to change how new staff are paid.
On the first day of the Budget debate, the States passed parts of an amendment by Deputies Mark Helyar and David Mahoney to scrap incremental pay scales for new recruits, as well as delete posts that have been vacant for six months.
That still needs to go to the final vote at the end of the Budget debate and the Joint Unions - Prospect, NASUWT, RCN, Unite and NEU - want the changes removed to "prevent the ruination of the public sector as we know it."
The unions represent the "vast majority of States employees".
"Well-defined pay structures with incremental progression are a key part of all public sector remuneration schemes across the British Isles," they said.
"The amendment to remove pay scales in favour of spot salaries takes a wrecking ball to the terms and conditions of States' employees without any thought of the consequences."
Pictured: Deputies Mark Helyar and David Mahoney.
The unions claim that when the Conservative Government attempted similar, but not as drastic, reforms in the UK, it resulted in the worst post-war recruitment and retention crisis across the public sector.
"This amendment goes far further, and will simply result in the supply of new recruits drying up overnight. It has the clear potential ruin Guernsey's public services.
"If the amendment is not overturned in the final vote, the only way to avoid the implosion of the public sector will be to move and recruit all staff to the top of the existing pay scales, which would cost the States millions of pounds."
They added that the amendment to delete vacant posts after six months shows no understanding of the recruitment market for difficult to fill posts, and will cause unnecessary bureaucracy and disruption.
The NASUWT also produced its own response.
Dr Patrick Roach, NASUWT General Secretary, said:
"This proposal seeks to take a wrecking ball to the terms and conditions of teachers which will plunge education in Guernsey into a crisis on a par not seen anywhere else in the British Isles.
"These proposals will do irrevocable damage to the pay and conditions of teachers, undermine recruitment and retention into the profession and damage children's education.
"The system of incremental progression is designed to support teacher retention. The proposals to remove incremental progression will result in more teachers voting with their feet and leaving the profession.
"NASUWT urges the States to take the opportunity to reject these proposals."
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