The Royal College of Midwives (RCM) in Wales has welcomed First Minister Eluned Morgan’s announcement of a 5.5% pay award for its members in Wales.
After months of waiting the RCM says it’s pleased the Welsh Government has accepted the recommendations of the Pay Review Body (PRB) which means midwives and maternity support workers (MSWs) across Wales are now set to receive an above inflation pay award.
The RCM says it’s pleased the award is above inflation and on par with what RCM members in England will receive.
Commenting RCM’s Director for Wales, Julie Richards, said:
“In our evidence to the Pay Review Body we called for real terms pay increase, consolidated across the board and one that starts to address the pay cuts our members have faced for far too long. So, we are pleased that the announcement has finally been made. For too long our hardworking midwives and MSWs across Wales have been left in limbo and we have told the Government time and time again that this delay in announcing this and previous pay increases has really eroded the morale of our hardworking members, making many feel undervalued.”
The RCM says investing in the pay of NHS staff will also go some way towards stemming the tide of midwives who have been weighing up leaving midwifery due to last year’s below inflation pay rise. It has also warned that there are wider issues that need addressing to make sure NHS Wales can retain midwifery staff this includes addressing the Agenda for Change (AfC) pay structure and examining the length of time it takes staff to progress between some pay bands.
Investment in the NHS Job Evaluation Scheme that underpins the pay system, ensuring equal pay for work of equal value is also required says RCM. Job evaluation is also important to addressing wider pay discrimination, gender, ethnicity and disability pay gaps. Although the RCM has said for it to work properly it needs effective local application and job matching.
Juile added:
“We very much hope that today’s announcement is the beginning of much needed work to improve the pay, terms and conditions of our AfC members in Wales. However, we await more details on the wider aspects of this pay award, but going forward we want to work with the Welsh Government to improve a pay process that many staff have lost faith in. We must also tackle the issues within the Agenda for Change pay system too. We need to ensure it’s a fair pay system for all and that equal pay is given to work of equal value.
The RCM says it will now take this award to the RCM Board for consideration and decisions on next steps including a consultation with its members in Wales.
ENDS
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NOTES TO EDITORS
The Royal College of Midwives (RCM) is the only trade union and professional association dedicated to serving midwifery and the whole midwifery team. We provide workplace advice and support, professional and clinical guidance, and information, and learning opportunities with our broad range of events, conferences, and online resources. For more information visit the RCM | A professional organisation and trade union dedicated to serving the whole midwifery team.
