School strikes in Wales are still set to go ahead next week as unions say they haven't received an offer from the Welsh Government similar to that offered to NHS workers.
Planned strikes by nurses, midwives, physiotherapists and one of the ambulance unions was called off today after the Welsh Government offered staff in the health services an extra 3% - half as a one-off payment and half added to their base salary.
But WalesOnline understands that no such offer has yet been made to the teaching unions and there are currently no planned talks between the Welsh Government and teaching unions. It's understood ministers in Wales have made an offer of a one off payment estimated to be worth "a few hundred pound" per person but that is far lower than offered to health workers.
Unions have branded the 5% pay offer to teachers “an insult” with teachers and support staff strikes in Wales scheduled for February 14, March 15 and March 16.
Read more: How much teachers get paid in Wales: The full salary scale from £28,866
WalesOnline approached teaching unions and the Welsh Government to see if an equivalent offer had been made to education staff. The Welsh Government refused to say if they had made the same offer to teachers but an NEU spokesperson said: "The only thing that we can say is that there has not been a further offer. We will deal with that if and when it is received."
WalesOnline understands that a one of payment has been offered, the value of which hasn't be shared but it is understood to only be "a few £100" per person. It is also understood there are no planned further negotiations between teaching unions and the Welsh Government ahead of the school strikes next week.
Sources have told WalesOnline that the one off payment offered by the Welsh Government does nothing to address the wider concerns of teachers including historic below inflation pay rises and the discrepancy between what different local authorities pay schools per pupil. If they go ahead, nearly all schools in Wales will be affected by Wednesday's strike by teachers with thousands of pupils affected.
This comes on the same day a Welsh Parliamentary committee found that the Welsh Government was “falling short of its rhetoric” and lacking “candour” on what its proposed budget means for people in Wales.
First Minister Mark Drakeford has previously said he was considering raising income tax to fund public sector pay rises but decided not to as people in Wales are currently being taxed more than ever before. You can read the full interview with him here where he also said that the strikes were unlikely to be resolved until there was a resolution in England.
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