School staff receive pay rise deal in Wales

First minister Eluned Morgan has announced pay awards for public sector workers in Wales.

NHS staff and teachers will be among some of the public sector workers to receive pay increases of between 5 per cent and 6 per cent.

They have accepted the pay recommendations from independent pay review bodies in full.

Teachers will be entitled to a 5.5 per cent pay award, as will certain NHS staff.

Doctors and dentists, as well as GPs, will receive a 6 per cent pay award.

Claire Armitstead, director of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) Cymru, commented: “We are pleased that the Welsh government has fully accepted the recommendations made by the independent pay review body. It’s clear that there is a need for a significant uplift in teacher pay to support recruitment and retention and ensure all schools are able to hire the staff they require.

“We will carefully be examining the detail of the pay award to ensure that the money ringfenced for local authorities matches the actual costs faced by schools. Many schools are in a very difficult financial position and it is vital that the pay award is genuinely affordable and does not put any further pressure on already stretched budgets.”

Plaid Cymru spokesperson for Finance, Culture and the Welsh Language Heledd Fychan MS said: "Public sector pay rises are long overdue.

"Plaid Cymru has consistently campaigned for public sector workers to get fair pay for the invaluable work they do for our country.

"We're clear that public sector workers in Wales should not have to await for announcements in England before receiving improved pay offers. That's why we urgently need a fair funding model to end Wales' dependency on political decisions made over the border."