In light of discussions between the Welsh Government and Welsh health trade unions, the Welsh Government released a statement on the 3rd of February, reporting an ‘enhanced’ pay offer of a salary increase of ‘3%’. The deal includes a 1.5% ‘consolidated’ pay rise, with the other 1.5% being a one-off payment; these are on top of the 4-5% pay awards which are reported to have already been implemented for the work year 2022-23.

The Welsh Government has also stated that the rise in salary payments will include “non-pay commitments to staff wellbeing”, of which this claim has not been decorated fully.

In response to the Welsh Government’s offer, the health union the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) has responded by saying that the new deal would be put to a vote to its members “within days”.

Their strikes, due to take place on the week beginning the 6th of February, have been called off by the RCN; in response to the pay offer, RCN Wales director Helen Whyley described the strike action being taken as having “clearly been effective”.

Whyley further expressed that elected RCN members had decided to postpone strike action due for Monday 6th and Tuesday 7th of February, and that the offer should be presented to members “for them to decide whether it truly respects and values the nursing profession”.

Although, not all trade unions have transparently confirmed whether they shall be striking this week. UNISON, Wales’ “biggest health union”, responded to the pay rise offer by stating that “we are pleased intensive discussion between the trade unions and Welsh government has resulted in an improved offer.

“The new offer contains an element that will be consolidated into healthcare workers’ pay, which is what UNISON has argued for throughout negotiations.

UNISON’s healthcare committee will now meet early next week to discuss the offer in more detail. UNISON will continue discussions with Welsh ministers on the further improvements to employment conditions. We are absolutely determined to get the best possible deal for our nurses, midwives, healthcare assistants, paramedics, cleaners, porters, catering staff, admin staff and many more.”

Little information was given in this press release as to whether members of UNISON would be moving ahead with planned industrial action.

It was reported by the Independent that Unite was the only NHS union holding strikes in Wales on the week beginning the 6th of February.

Sharon Graham, Unite’s secretary general, informed the PA news agency that “the reason that we’re still out in Wales is that it would be disingenuous for us to put an offer to pause the strike in the full knowledge the offer was going to get rejected.

What we want is not a sticking plaster – we want to have a deal on the table that will be accepted. I spoke to the health minister in Wales on a number of occasions yesterday; we’re tantalisingly close.”

In response to the new pay offer, the Welsh Government labelled it as the “only deal in town”. Speaking to the PA news agency, Welsh health minister Eluned Morgan – in response to being asked if they believe suspended strikes is the “light at the end of the tunnel” – replied “I do hope so, but obviously the final decision will be by the members of these unions. But I think what’s important is that they understand that this is the only deal in town.”

“The end of the financial year is coming very soon, and obviously the money disappears at the end of the financial year so there is an issue for people to consider. So I do hope that people recognise that we’ve worked really hard on this, that we are restricted in how much we can offer because of the money we get from the UK Government.

“And I do think that there’s a lesson here for the UK Government –the UK Government needs to understand that, in order to get any kind of deal, you need to sit down, you need to talk and you need to listen.”