Trade unions representing health workers in Wales have accepted a two-year pay deal from the Welsh Government, ending a long-running dispute.
The first Wales-only pay agreement covers 77,000 NHS workers and gives them a 1% pay rise from next April.
Welsh Health Minister Mark Drakeford said: “This two-year, made-in-Wales pay deal demonstrates our ongoing commitment to staff working in the NHS in these challenging financial times. Our overriding priority has been – and continues to be – to maintain jobs at the frontline of NHS Wales against a backdrop of severe cuts to our budget.
“This is an excellent example of working collaboratively and co-production and I am pleased that in Wales we have been able to avoid significant strike action by agreeing a mutual position – this is a credit to all parties.”
The agreement reached includes a one-off non-consolidated payment of £187 pro rata, a 1% pay uplift from April 2015, and the implementation of the Living Wage for staff across all health boards in Wales.
Thursday’s agreement, which excludes doctors and dentists, comes after union Unison called off planned industrial action last week.
Dawn Bowden, Unison Wales head of health said: “Taking strike action is always a last resort for our members.
“The settlement is an improvement on the previous offer and we welcome achieving the Living Wage for our lowest paid members.
‘This has been a difficult process for all involved, particularly given the challenging financial climate that we are in as a result of the UK Government’s continued austerity programme.
“Clearly this agreement does not make up for the real term loss that NHS workers have suffered in recent years, but we hope we can build on this settlement in the future.”