The striking workers say it will mean essential, mandatory appointments will go unfilled
Workers at Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board, supporters and representatives gather on the steps of the Senedd(Image: WalesOnline/Rob Browne)
Health visitors have said they will strike for a further eight weeks in one area of Wales. Health visitors at the Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board have been on strike since February 23 over pay and planned to be out on strike until March 20.
Now they say they will remain on strike for a further eight weeks until at least May 15. The striking workers from Unite say it will mean essential, mandatory appointments will go unfilled.
Health visitors, who meet with families on regular visits from birth to three-and-a-half years, say they are only being paid as band six workers despite internal job grading now matching them as a band seven which is a difference of up to £9,000.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “If Cwm Taf thinks our members will go quietly into the night they have made a fundamental error. Far from backing down in this dispute, health visitors are ratcheting up the pressure (…) to get the money they are entitled to.”
On Tuesday, March 10, a protest was held in Cardiff Bay with workers marching to the Senedd. Health visitors shared their thoughts about the strike, including one apologising to her families for missing appointments.
Unite regional officer Paul Seppman said: “These are highly skilled and highly valuable healthcare professionals doing vital community outreach work. This has now been going on for five years and our members will not tolerate this injustice anymore.
“Cwm Taf Morgannwg has acted shamefully throughout this process and because of the health board’s actions appointments for new mothers and children are being cancelled.
“This is a dispute entirely the fault of Cwm Taf Morgannwg. It can easily end the dispute by paying our members the money they are rightfully owed.”
A spokesperson for Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board said: “We are disappointed with this announcement which, despite the very best efforts of our organisation which include engaging in talks via ACAS, is likely to have a detrimental impact upon services for families in the Cwm Taf Morgannwg area.
“The health board has been in discussion with Unite and health visiting staff since a formal dispute was lodged in February 2024. The dispute at that time asked for the band six health visitor job description to be updated to reflect the duties of the role and to re-evaluate the job.
“A process to review and agree the revised job description took place, facilitated by NHS Wales Employers. The job description, which was agreed in social partnership, was re-evaluated and came out at the same band, band 6.
“The job description was issued to health visiting staff and remains in effect. Despite claims made by Unite, a band seven job description has not been agreed in partnership to date at CTMUHB or on an all-Wales basis by NHS Wales Employers.
“It is important to recognise that the pay banding for health visitors in Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board is the same the banding for health visitors across England and Wales.
“It would therefore be inappropriate for CTMUHB, as an individual health board, to work in isolation to re-band its health visitor workforce.
“The health board is aware that over recent years there have been changes made to education requirements for health visitors as a result of decisions taken by the Nursing and Midwifery Council, which have more recently impacted national profiles for health visitor roles across the UK.
“The health board is committed to working through the implications of these changes in social partnership with trade unions. An expert partnership group has been established in NHS Wales to take these discussions forward which meets for the first time on March 16.
“We respect the rights of colleagues to take industrial action and will work with teams to minimise disruption to families across our communities as required.”