Welsh nurses may strike due to ‘insulting’ pay rise

Welsh nurses may strike over an ‘insulting’ pay rise of between 4-5.5% whilst other NHS workers will receive an average of 7.5%.

The Royal College of Nursing Wales (RCN) has described the pay award as ‘pitiful and insulting’, as the rises are below the 9.4% rate of inflation, as reported by itv.com. Nurses have been addressed by their workers’ unions as a result and it is likely that there could be a strike to address the minimal increase. 

Wales are in desperate need of more nursing staff, with more than 1,719 nurse vacancies across the country, according to the RCN. Last year, the Welsh Government spent £133.4 million on agency nursing and midwifery and this could have been used to the pay the salaries of 5,119 qualified nurses. 

The director of RCN Wales and the RCN Wales Board Chair wrote a joint email to all RCN members which addressed the Welsh Government’s confirmed “pay award for NHS staff in Wales for the year 2022-23”. Both RCN affiliates made “clear that nursing deserves better.” 

Staff shortages and years of underpayment have long been an issue amongst NHS nursing staff in Wales and in other parts of the UK. 

They are intent on utilising the “voice of Nursing” as it “will be essential to turning the tide on low pay”. In line with this, they have made the decision to “move directly to strike ballot on industrial action”. This will be the first time ever that RCN have followed this course of action. 

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