Plaid plans would give NHS staff ‘first real terms pay increase in over decade’ – Plaid Cymru Leader Adam Price

NHS staff would be given the first real terms pay increase in over decade under new plans published by Plaid Cymru today.

A fairer pay increase for NHS workers, a wage of £12 per hour as a minimum for care workers, and a package of financial help for those in greatest need are all part of a proposal announced by Plaid Cymru.

The proposals come amid continued strike action by public sector workers in Wales and ongoing disputes with the Labour Welsh Government over pay.

Plaid Cymru Leader Adam Price said raising additional revenue by varying the rate of tax would give both health and care workers a fairer pay offer would signal an “investment” in the NHS, putting the service on a more “sustainable footing for the future”.

Ahead of a debate on the Welsh Government’s budget next week, which Plaid Cymru will seek to amend, Adam Price said “Labour cannot in good faith say they are doing everything they can to support health and care workers when they have so far refused to use the tax powers at their disposal.”

Mr Price added that asking those with the broadest shoulders to contribute more could also generate revenue to fund additional packages of support to those struggling the most during the cost-of-living crisis.

Plaid Cymru Leader Adam Price said,

“Our NHS is in crisis, Workers are on strike, and the Labour Welsh Government is refusing to act.

“Thirteen years of Tory cuts and twenty-five years of Labour mismanagement has left our health and care workers demoralised, exhausted and struggling to make ends meet.

“Plaid Cymru’s proposals offer a way forward. Using the tax powers we have here in Wales, we could generate an extra £317 million to offer NHS workers fairer pay and provide care workers with £12 an hour as a minimum.

“Fair pay for nurses will mean fair play for patients and would signal a real investment in our NHS, putting it on a sustainable footing for the future.

“Labour cannot in good faith say they are doing everything they can to support health and care workers when they have so far refused to use the tax powers at their disposal.

“Asking those with the broadest shoulders to contribute the most would also allow us to create a Welsh Solidarity Fund that could help extend free school meals to secondary schools for families in receipt of universal credit, support people struggling to pay their mortgages, or increase the Education Maintenance Allowance to help young people continue their education. 

"If Labour truly are the party of the workers as they claim to be, they will support our amendment to the Budget, and if they truly believe in a fair taxation system, they will join us in demanding the powers to set our own tax bands just like Scotland, rather than be ruled by Westminster.”