A legal battle is set to get underway in the Supreme Court Monday concerning the contentious issue of the Government's wage freeze on public sector workers.

After failing to reach an out of court settlement, lawyers for the Island Special Constabulary Force (ISCF) Association will challenge the Government for the outstanding 7% increase due under the 2008-2010 Heads of Agreement.

The ISCF Association hauled the Government to court claiming that it reneged on a binding salary agreement.

The case was originally scheduled to start in the Supreme Court on March 22.

However, when the parties appeared they were told to return to the negotiating table.

The ISCF Association's attorney, Christopher Townsend, told our news centre both sides have not been able to hammer out a settlement and it is now up to the courts to make a decision.

“We have not been advised by our client that there has been a settlement at all so it’s full speed ahead on Monday. We are hoping that the matter will start and finish. The last time we went before the court the judge was of the view that it should not take two days so it was reduced to one day and we’re prepared to argue within the time allotted,” Mr. Townsend said.

And a senior trade union official is upset that negotiations for the payment of the 7% increase due to public sector workers have stalled.

Last month Prime Minister Bruce Golding received a report containing recommendations on alternative ways to compensate Government-paid employees who had to forego a wage increase under MOU Three.

However, Vice President of the National Workers Union, Granville Valentine, says since the Prime Minister's return from Brazil, there has been silence on the matter.

“Well when I last checked with the members of the Confederation nobody could give me a definitive argument. That is rather unfortunate because we were told clearly that what should have happened is that the moment the Prime Minister returns from his vacation leave over a month ago then he would have been given this letter of ultimatum as to what is his response to the 7%,”, Mr. Valentine said.