All Welsh council workers to receive Real Living Wage

Joint press release: WLGA and joint trades unions

Council leaders and unions in Wales have announced that from 1^st April 2019 all council workers in Wales will receive an hourly rate of at least £9.00 which is the current rate for the ‘Real’ Living Wage, which is above that of the UK Governments National Living Wage.

The pay increase was celebrated at the Joint Council for Wales meeting on 5^th April and comes as part of a national agreement to introduce a new pay spine that ensures that those lower paid workers who provide essential day to day services have salaries that keep pace with at least the National Living Wage.

Cllr David Poole, Workforce Spokesperson for the WLGA (Caerphilly) said

“We negotiated this deal nationally with the trades unions and this second year of the deal provides this minimum payment of £9.00 to local authority workers. Local authorities have borne the brunt of austerity which has seen our services being cut and the workforce substantially reduce. It was right that we sought a pay deal that fairly rewarded these hardworking staff who continue to provide services and who themselves have had to endure austerity.”

Dominic MacAskill UNISON Cymru Wales Head of Local Government and Joint Trade Unions secretary said,

“School support staff, carers, refuse workers, cleaners, librarians, highways maintenance workers and many more are the people who keep local services running and families healthy and safe. Their work is at the heart of our communities.

“We need to invest in these public service workers and that means decent rates of pay. This deal will lift the lowest paid council workers and their families out of in-work poverty and give them more control over their lives.”

The Joint Council also recognised the work and commitment of local authorities and trade unions to implement this pay deal on time which required significant changes to pay structures and terms and conditions and is testimony to the partnership and co-operation that exists between local authorities and the workforce representatives in the ambition for the delivery of high quality public services in Wales.

Notes

• The Joint Council for Wales is a represented body of local authority employers and trades unions. For further information visit https://www.wlga.gov.uk/joint-council-for-wales-1
• Current Minimum Wage Rates as at 1^st April 2019
  • National Minimum Wage (under25) £7.70
  • National Living Wage £8.21
  • Living Wage Foundation £9.00 outside London.