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Peter Black and South Wales West Liberal DemocratsRepresenting Aberavon, Bridgend, Gower, Neath, Ogmore, Port Talbot, and Swansea |
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Decision on nurses' pay needs to be revisited says Assembly Member
March 15, 2007 11:28 AM
The Welsh Liberal Democrat Assembly Member for South Wales West, Peter Black, has called on the Labour Assembly Government to re-think its decision to follow England by staggering the derisory and below inflation 2.5% pay rise for Nurses throughout the year.
Mr. Black was speaking after the Scottish Executive broke ranks with the Chancellor of the Exchequer and decided that Nurses in Scotland will receive the fully recommended pay of 2.5% on 1st April. In contrast Nurses in Wales will receive 1.5% in April and 1% in November, leaving them £570 worse off.
"While I am sure that Nurses in Wales will be pleased for their Scottish colleagues I can't help wondering why Wales cannot do the same," said Mr. Black. "Nurses are being asked to do more and more in the NHS and it is difficult to retain and recruit Nurses. Delaying their pay rise is a cheap way for Gordon Brown to save a few pennies, but will do nothing to boost morale in the sector. In addition, one in every five Nurse in Wales is still not paid through 'Agenda for Change' so this is rubbing salt into the wounds."
"The actions of the Assembly Government in refusing to go it alone on this issue as Scotland has done is sending the wrong message to Nurses, I am appalled that Labour should under-value Nurses in this way. Equivalent public sector workers have higher start wages and fewer responsibilities. It is time that Nurses were treated with more respect."
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