NHS physiotherapy strikes paused in Wales after “breakthrough” progress
Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (CSP) members in Wales are pausing strike action after recent progress was made with the Welsh Government.
Due to take place in all health boards today (7 February 2023), the NHS physiotherapy strikes will be paused to allow further negotiations to take place between unions, including the CSP and the government, following the “breakthrough”.
Other unions have taken the same decision and talks will continue this week to finalise an offer that can be put to members in an online vote.
The new offer includes a further three percent pay increase on top of the £1,400 given to all staff, 1.5 percent of which would be consolidated.
The remainder of the pay offer would be non-consolidated and further discussions will be needed to determine how this overall amount of 1.5 percent would be allocated across bands.
In addition, the revised package includes some other elements of terms and conditions on which negotiations will continue this week.
Adam Morgan, CSP Senior Negotiating Officer for Wales, said: “The Welsh government did what we asked them to and came to the table for meaningful talks. This has led to the outline of a new offer and in turn, the pausing of our strikes.
“We feel it is important to return the good faith shown by the government and allow time for negotiations to continue.
“As soon as we have an offer we can put to members, we will do that through a full consultation process.”
The negotiations followed talks earlier in the winter between unions and the Welsh Government.
Elaine Sparkes, Assistant Director of Employment Relations at the CSP, called on the government in Westminster to follow its counterparts in Cardiff and Edinburgh ahead of strikes also planned in England on 9 February 2023.
“We’ve shown first in Scotland and now in Wales that we are committed to finding a solution through negotiations that are conducted in good faith,” she commented.
“It is inexplicable that with 88,000 appointments already cancelled due to strikes in England, the government is willing to just stand by and let four days of strikes take place without any attempt to prevent that happening.
“Our message remains the same: talk to us and avert these strikes.”
In England, NHS physiotherapy strikes have already taken place, as no pay increase offer was made by the UK Government to staff. Find out more and watch videos on last month’s strike action here.
In contrast, in Scotland, CSP members’ call for better and fair pay for NHS physiotherapy staff resulted in strike action pausing and them accepting the Scottish Government’s “best and final” pay offer.