Welsh Government branded a “disgrace” by NHS workers following news they are not prepared to discuss the pay deal with the Royal College of Nursing union, despite an overwhelming vote by members.
Image: Welsh NHS workers protest over pay, image by Mehek Seth
A major union in the Welsh NHS, which represents 94,000 health workers, has revealed that the Welsh Government is refusing to negotiate with them over a below-inflation pay deal.
The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) Wales have said the refusal to negotiate will leave it no choice but to organise a strike over pay.
The hard line stance from the Welsh Government’s health department, led by the minister Eluned Morgan MS, comes in spite of the fact that 94% of RCN members who voted in a recent ballot said the 3% offer was unacceptable.
Following the overwhelming rejection of the deal – which amounts to a real terms pay cut for NHS workers due to the rising cost of living – the RCN Wales had hoped to enter a negotiation with the Welsh Labour Government to improve the offer
But on Thursday evening, the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) Wales posted a message onto its Facebook page saying the government was not prepared to engage.
“Welsh Government have refused to negotiate on raising the 3% pay award, despite 94% of nurses voting that 3% is unacceptable,” it said “This refusal could lead to industrial action.”
Reacting to the news, NHS Workers Say No Wales, a grouping of health workers from across Wales which have been coordinating action to demand a 15% pay rise, called the refusal to negotiate a ‘disgrace’ and said Welsh Government would “be instrumental in the staffing crisis within the NHS,” if they imposed the deal.
“For over a decade we have faced pay cuts, caps and freezes and our pay has devalued by 20%: 3% is still a pay restraint,” the group said.
Even on its own, a 3% pay rise would still lead to the average health worker losing around £547 a year due to the rising cost of living, according to analysis by NursingNotes.
Reacting to the news, Matthew Tovey, a nurse in South Wales and leading member of NHS Workers Say No Wales, said that Welsh NHS workers were “done.”
“This refusal will definitely lead to industrial action. NHS workers are DONE! see you on the picket line,” he wrote.
Helen Whyley, RCN Wales Director, said that Welsh Government “jeopardises its covid recovery plan,” through refusing to negotiate and she highlighted the fact that many nurses and health workers say they simply can’t stay in the job on such low pay: “Retaining nurses in the profession is a far better use of public money.”
Workers have described a staffing crisis in the NHS that will be made worse if the 3% deal is forced through.
The RCN is one of four unions in the Welsh NHS that have balloted its members over the deal, which the Welsh Government has been seeking to impose without any consultation with unions.
On Wednesday UNISON Cymru Wales, the biggest union in the health service, announced that 90% of its members had rejected the pay deal.
Last week Unite Wales, another major player, said that the workers it represents had overwhelmingly rejected the deal, with 64% saying they would be prepared to strike over the issue.
GMB have not released the exact details of their ballot in Wales, but have confirmed that a majority have rejected the 3% offer from Welsh Government and the union is assessing how strike action could proceed.
Both UNISON and Unite have said that their intention is to negotiate a better deal with the Welsh Government, with Unite saying last week that “meaningful discussions” had started with Eluned Morgan, Minister for Health.
But the revelations from RCN Wales, which has significantly more members in the Welsh NHS than Unite, raise serious questions about the ability to negotiate a better deal with the Welsh Government.
The refusal to negotiate also raises major questions about the much-trumpeted idea of ‘social partnership’, where unions and the Welsh Government are supposed to work together.
NHS Workers Say No Wales, the grassroots group made up of health workers from all four unions across Wales, said the news would cause a huge amount of anger amongst staff who would now see strike action as the only way forward.
“If the Welsh government refuses to negotiate it will leave healthcare workers no choice but to strike,” the group told voice.wales
“For over a decade we have faced pay cuts, caps and freezes and our pay has devalued by 20%: 3% is still a pay restraint. Patient safety is being put at risk every single day due to short staffing, we are not able to provide quality care to our patients which leaves health workers feeling demoralised.”
They said that experienced workers are leaving the profession “in droves” and that staff “burn out and sickness is at an all time high.”
“People are working overtime just to survive. We are only asking for our wage to reflect our responsibility and want to be paid in line with inflation and gain a restorative rise. The NHS is central to society and we all need experienced staff at the bedside.”
“If the Welsh government does not deliver a restorative pay rise it is a national disgrace and they will be instrumental in the staffing crisis within the NHS.”
The group is also calling on unions to coordinate industrial action ballots.
Welsh Government were unavailable for comment.
