SoR members in Wales reject pay offer - but overall unions accept the package

Welsh Partnership Forum of unions narrowly accepted the extra 3% offer backdated for 2022/23

Published: 01 March 2023 Trade Union & IR

The SoR has issued a statement on the result of the consulation on the recent Wales pay offer, increasing the amount previously secured for 2022/23:

"The Wales pay offer consultation closed for SoR members on Friday 24 February 2023. We had a positive turnout of 55% of members consulted responding - of that 55%, 41% voted to accept the offer and 59% of members voted to reject the offer. The result is rejection of the Wales pay offer by SoR members.

"This result was fed into the Welsh Partnership Forum where other trade unions in Wales placed the decisions of their memberships on the pay offer. The results were incredibly close with only a one vote difference in favour of accepting the offer.

"The Welsh Partnership Forum has narrowly accepted the Wales pay offer for 2022/23 and communicated this to Welsh Government.

"As the result was incredibly close it has been agreed in Partnership that there will be ongoing discussions with Welsh Government in relation to future pay and conditions. It has also been agreed that any consequentials from Westminster will be in addition to the accepted offer."

Click here to read the statement from the Welsh government.

The Wales pay offer

A 3% increase on the 2022/23 pay award, backdated to 1 April 2022. The key elements of the offer are:

  • A consolidated increase for all Agenda for Change grades of 1.5%, paid in April 2023.
  • A further non-consolidated (one-off) payment of 1.5%, paid in March 2023.
  • Unsocial hours payments to be included in sick pay from three weeks instead of six weeks with immediate effect.
  • A commitment to the principle of pay restoration to 2008 levels and working in partnership to achieve this in coming pay rounds.
  • A series of other projects with the aim of improving working conditions, recruitment and retention.

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