Support quality, independent, local journalism…that matters

From just £1 a month you can help fund our work – and use our website without adverts. Become a member today

Peredur Owen Griffiths, who represents Plaid Cymru, is one of four regional Senedd Members serving the South Wales East region.

The dominant issue in the news over the last couple of weeks has been the spread of strike action. The latest group of workers to launch industrial action has been nurses who voted overwhelmingly to go on strike in Wales in all but one health board area.

The exception was Aneurin Bevan University Health Board where there was very strong support for industrial action among those who voted but they fell agonisingly short of the ballot participation threshold needed to lawfully go on strike.

I spoke with nurses from this health board in a recent video conference call organised by the Royal College of Nursing Wales and, judging from the passion and determination I witnessed on that call, I predict that the next ballot they take will comfortably meet the threshold unless significant changes to their terms and conditions are made.

Over the past week I have also joined with nurses on picket lines on two occasions and was struck by the strength of feeling and resolve I saw. Yes, this matter is about delivering fair pay as wages have failed to keep pace with inflation, plunging many into poverty.

Talking to nurses, it became evident that the strikes are more about patient safety. Nurses are getting increasingly upset and dismayed about the staff to patient ratio which they say is preventing them from delivering a quality of care and is endangering the lives of the most vulnerable patients.

There was also dismay on the picket line from nurses who cannot fathom why the Labour Government in Wales has ignored them. Yes, it is fair to say that the Tory Westminster Government has severely weakened the NHS over the last 12 years and here in Wales we are impacted by their funding decisions – which is one of the compelling reasons for me that Wales should get further powers and responsibilities.

However, for the Labour Government in Wales to refuse to meet with the Royal College of Nursing in Wales to discuss pay smacks of rudeness and complacency.

The fact of the matter is that Labour are in charge of health in Wales and have been for 23 years. There are things they could do to improve the pay and conditions of nurses in Wales and the least they could do is to meet them around the negotiating table. Instead, the Labour Government is collectively putting their fingers in their ears whilst repeating the words “Nothing to do with me.”

Nurses are rightly incandescent about this and have promised to take further strike action after Christmas if this stubbornness from the Labour Government persists. It is not good enough and many people who have loyally supported Labour all their lives are starting to think again.

I only hope that the Labour Government will get round the table soon, give nurses the respect they deserve and avert any further disruption to our hospitals.

All that is left for me to do is to wish all the staff at Caerphilly Observer and its readership a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.