NHS staff across Wales are likely to be angry with another below inflation pay award, says UNISON Cymru today (Thursday).
With inflation at 4.2%, the union says the 3.3% rise announced by health secretary Jeremy Miles will leave nurses, healthcare assistants, porters and catering staff worse off in real terms.
The union says health workers’ pay in Wales already lags behind Scotland, where staff negotiate pay directly with government and employers through their unions.
UNISON Cymru says the London-based pay review body system used in Wales is outdated and failing to deliver pay increases needed to recruit and retain health staff.
The union wants ministers to open direct pay negotiations after the Senedd election.
UNISON Cymru chair of health committee Dawn Ward said: “For many NHS staff, this is not about percentages on paper, it’s about choosing between heating and eating, watching every pound and worrying about the next bill.
“The lowest paid workers are already stretched to the limit. Healthcare assistants, cleaners and porters keep services running but struggle to make ends meet. Morale is low because people feel taken for granted.
“Staff want fairness and respect. That means a pay rise that makes a real difference in their lives, not one that disappears as soon as it reaches their bank account.”
UNISON Cymru head of health Tanya Bull said: “Let’s not pretend this is generous. It is another real terms pay cut.
“Health boards cannot expect to recruit and retain staff when supermarkets are offering higher starting rates.
“Workers in Scotland negotiate directly with their government through their unions. They are treated better because they have a voice at the table.
“Health is devolved, yet Welsh NHS pay is still tangled up in decisions made in Westminster. That’s absurd.
“NHS workers deserve respect and a proper pay rise that reflects the real rise in the cost of living, not another squeeze.”
Notes to editors:
– Bands 1, 2 and the entry point of band 3 on Agenda for Change will all remain on the same pay rate from 1 April. Earlier this year the Welsh government confirmed it would apply a real living wage top-up to those bands. As the pay review body recommendation is lower than that uplift, these staff will see no additional increase.
– UNISON is the UK’s largest union, with more than 1.3 million members providing public services in education, local government, the NHS, police service and energy. They are employed in the public, voluntary and private sectors.
Media contacts:
Jim Poulter M: 07904 342511 E: j.poulter@unison.co.uk
