3 months strike action could have been avoided “if only Welsh Government listened to Plaid Cymru”

Plaid Cymru has called Welsh Government’s pay offer “long overdue” and has criticised them for being slow to act on NHS pay dispute in Wales, resulting in three months of industrial action.

Plaid Cymru spokesperson for health and care, Rhun ap Iorwerth MS has paid tribute “to every health worker that has fought for this” but pointed out that three months of industrial action could have been avoided “if only Welsh Government had listened to Plaid Cymru all along.”

The Welsh Government has today (Friday 3 February) confirmed an additional 3% pay offer, of which 1.5% is consolidated, on top of the Pay Review Body recommendations, which have already been implemented in full. They confirm the offer will be backdated to April 2022.

Leader of Plaid Cymru, Adam Price MS was quick to point out that the revised pay offer “is well below inflation and below the Scottish Government’s pay offer.”

Plaid Cymru has recently shared costings that show how a pay offer of 8% to Welsh NHS nurses is possible.

Responding to the government’s written statement, Rhun ap Iorwerth MS, Plaid Cymru’s spokesperson for health and care, said,

“The Welsh Government U-turn on nurses pay is welcome, but long overdue. If only Welsh Government had listened to Plaid Cymru all along, then three months of industrial action could have been avoided. That’s three months where Welsh Government repeatedly told us there was no money, when we had worked out the sums and proved it was possible!

“I’m only sorry that it took repeated strike action from our brave workers for Welsh Government to take responsibility and step up to the challenge. Let’s not forget that there’s still a long way to go to make up for years of real terms pay cuts. I would like to pay tribute to every health worker that has fought for this.”

Leader of Plaid Cymru, Adam Price MS said:

“This improved pay offer is a step in the right direction by the Welsh Government which has repeatedly denied that it had any extra money. But a consolidated pay rise of 6% is well below inflation and below the Scottish Government’s pay offer.

“Yet again, after a decade of real terms cuts to their wages, NHS staff are being asked to accept a further fall in living standards. What we need from the Welsh Government instead is a long-term workforce plan with a real commitment to a real pay rise so we can begin to rebuild morale and end the crisis of recruitment and retention that risks overwhelming the entire NHS.”