Teachers and NHS staff to receive pay rise, First Minister announces

NHS staff and teachers will be among some of the public sector workers to receive pay increases of between 5% and 6% in 2024-25.

First Minister Eluned Morgan has announced pay awards for public sector workers in Wales.

NHS staff and teachers will be among some of the public sector workers to receive pay increases of between 5% and 6% in 2024-25.

According to the Welsh Government, they have accepted the pay recommendations from independent pay review bodies in full.

Teachers will be entitled to a 5.5% pay award, as will certain NHS staff.

Doctors and dentists, as well as GPs, will receive a 6% pay award.

Junior doctors will also receive an additional £1,000.

It comes after a string of strikes following disputes between junior doctors and the Welsh Government over pay and working conditions.

Civil servants will receive a pay award of up to an average of 5%, this includes staff at a number of other public bodies, including Natural Resources Wales and the Development Bank of Wales.

First Minister Eluned Morgan, said: "People across Wales have told us over the summer that public sector workers are the backbone of the services we all rely on – from the nurses in our NHS to teachers in classrooms across Wales.

"They want them to be fairly rewarded for the vital work they do. These pay awards reflect how we value them and respect their hard work."

She added: "But the public has also been clear they want to see improvements in public services – especially in the NHS and education. We will work with these services to deliver on what people have told us over the summer listening exercise."

Other parts of the public sector in Wales, including local government staff, fire and rescue services and social care are not covered by the independent pay review bodies and their awards are negotiated through a separate process.

Leader of the Welsh Conservatives, Andrew RT Davies MS said: "It's clearly in the UK's national interest to end these strikes, but Labour ministers in the Senedd allowed them to drag on.

"Unlike Labour ministers in the Senedd, Welsh Conservatives will never prioritise vanity projects that distract from our public services.

"Labour should also be prioritising fully funding our schools, NHS and helping farmers to feed our nation."

Plaid Cymru spokesperson for Finance, Culture and the Welsh Language Heledd Fychan MS said: "Public sector pay rises are long overdue.

"Plaid Cymru has consistently campaigned for public sector workers to get fair pay for the invaluable work they do for our country.

"We're clear that public sector workers in Wales should not have to await for announcements in England before receiving improved pay offers. That's why we urgently need a fair funding model to end Wales' dependency on political decisions made over the border.

She added: "However, public sector workers have long stated that the challenges facing the workforce across the NHS and education sector go beyond just pay. If we are to truly tackle the recruitment and retention crisis across the public sector, the Labour Welsh Government must immediately listen to and work with these sectors to improve workers' terms and conditions overall."

The GMB union's Senior Organiser welcomed the decision.

Tom Hoyles said: "To see First Minister Eluned prioritising a pay deal for public services so early in her tenure is a great sign.

"The only way to get our economy growing is to put money in working peoples pockets.

"It’s important to us that both Labour Government' s continue to make that a priority."

He added: "We’ll now put the deal to our members, who will have the final say."

Responding to the news, Dr Oba Babs-Osibodu and Dr Peter Fahey co-chairs of the BMA’s Welsh Junior Doctors Committee say they believe it to be a "step in the right direction."

They said: "Whilst we will continue to fight for full pay restoration to recover the years of real terms pay cuts, today’s award does provide some further reversal of that erosion."

Other unions have also commented on the pay rewards with UNISON Cymru/Wales' head of health Tanya Bull has calling the delay in this decision "disappointing".

She said: "The wage rise for this year was due on 1 April. That was five months ago. The system for determining pay awards for NHS workers in Wales needs to change to make sure they're not in this position again next year.

"UNISON will now consult health workers over the award."

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