Gwalia staff could strike over pay review

Strike action is being threatened by Neath Port Talbot Gwalia staff in a row over changes to pay.

Housing and care service provider Gwalia is currently in “collective consultation” with unions GMB and Unison over proposed changes to its care and services workforce.

Gwalia have 1,200 care and support staff across Wales, including 350 staff who transferred from Neath Port Talbot Council in April 2012, and are currently on protected terms and conditions until April 2014.

One Neath Port Talbot worker claims wages may be dropped by 45 per cent and claims people could lose up to £700 per month.

“A lot of people are going to lose out,” she said. “The majority want to go on strike.”

Gwalia’s executive director of social care and supporting people, Richard Davies: “We commissioned an external review of our pay levels against those of similar organisations and this has informed proposals.

“Whilst it’s proposed that pay grades for some roles do reduce, for others they will increase. This includes any former NPT staff currently earning minimum wage as Gwalia already pays the increased Living Wage rate to its own lowest-paid staff.

“The cited reduction in pay of 45 per cent is extreme and unrepresentative of the changes generally. Reductions of this severity would happen rarely and only where individuals currently draw an above-market salary alongside multiple enhancements or allowances such as weekend working, night working and acting up.”