They are calling on the health board to honour its promise to pay them fairly, the agreement that was previously unexpectedly broken
Singleton Hospital is under the health board
Healthcare support workers employed at a Welsh health board will stage a protest on Tuesday as they demand fair pay. The workers say they feel “betrayed” after Swansea Bay University Health Board pulled a deal to correct years of underpayment 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. Never miss a Swansea story by signing up to our newsletter here
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 earlier this month the health board tore up a local agreement that was reached 10 months ago according to several workers and confirmed by Unison the union.
A spokesman for the health board said the issue had been “picked up nationally” and so it had decided to pause implementing the local agreement and are “eager for the all-Wales discussions to be concluded so that we don’t run any risk of disadvantaging our staff”.
Speaking to WalesOnline earlier in October one health worker called the health board’s decision “a devastating blow” and said it “sends out a damaging message” that health support workers are “less worthy” because many are not university educated.
It has now been confirmed that on Tuesday, October 21 health support workers will gather outside Swansea Bay University Health Board HQ to deliver a 2,000-signature petition.
Staff attending the gathering – which has been organised with Unison the union – are calling on the health board to honour its promise to pay them fairly, the agreement that was previously unexpectedly broken.