‘Many staff had been relying on that pay for Christmas’, one anonymous staff member told WalesOnline
Singleton Hospital in Swansea is under the health board
Healthcare support workers employed at a Welsh health board feel “betrayed” after a deal to correct years of underpayment was pulled at the last minute “without explanation”. Members of the predominantly female low-paid workforce were due to receive compensation in their pay packets in November to end a previous dispute.
It followed years of staff having to carry out work that fell outside of their NHS band two pay grade. The compensation could have been as high as £7,000 for some workers before tax and National Insurance depending on their circumstances and length of service.
Support workers previously voted to strike over the issue following a two-year campaign for improved wages. That led to Swansea Bay University Health Board executives pledging to move staff onto a higher pay band and provide recognition payments and back pay by December 31 this year.
However the health board has now torn up a local agreement that was reached 10 months ago according to several workers and confirmed by Unison the union. For the biggest stories in Wales first sign up to our daily newsletter.
One support worker, who wished to remain anonymous, spoke to WalesOnline and called the postponement “absolutely disgraceful”. She added: “We’ve been doing band three duties now for years and only getting paid as a band two… morale and trust has now gone towards the health board and this is totally unacceptable.”
A second worker, who did not wish to be named, told WalesOnline that with Christmas fast approaching it had left staff feeling “not only betrayed but also financially vulnerable”.
She added that she and her colleagues are “working under extremely challenging and understaffed conditions” far beyond their band two role.
She said news of the payments being postponed came “without explanation” and cased “widespread distress and disillusionment”.
She said many are “desperate” to avoid industrial action which could have a serious impact on patient care but staff feel they may have no other option.
A third anonymous worker added: “Many staff had been relying on that pay for Christmas, to pay off debts… and [we] have had the rug pulled out from underneath us.”
Unison Cymru head of health Tanya Bull said: “Healthcare support workers feel let down. They have been exploited for five years or more by Swansea Bay, which refused to pay them the right rate for the job.
“The determined and united stand by support workers forced the board to admit they were wrong. This resulted in the promise that money owed would be paid by the end of the year.
“These low-paid staff deserve recognition for the work they’ve been doing for years. The health board’s treatment of these predominantly women workers is morally repugnant. It’s disrespectful and the decision taken by Swansea Bay will have consequences.
“Welsh Government needs to push Swansea Bay to pay what is owed right away and to urgently conclude an all-Wales agreement with Unison.”
Swansea Bay health board has been approached for comment.
Get daily breaking news updates on your phone by joining our WhatsApp community here. We occasionally treat members to special offers, promotions and ads from us and our partners. See our Privacy Notice.