Local Plaid councillors back striking council workers

Plaid Cymru councillors in Wrexham have called for additional central funding to be found to avert a proposed strike by Unite members next month.

As we reported on Wednesday evening, Unite members at Wrexham Council have voted for strike action over pay that could see various services disrupted.

Cllr Marc Jones, Plaid Cymru’s group leader on the council, said: “The Plaid Cymru group stands in solidarity with council workers who have seen pay fall badly behind inflation over recent years. Like many other public sector workers, such as nurses, doctors and firefighters, they’ve suffered pay freezes and below-inflation pay offers for a decade and more, which explains why there has been so much anger and frustration from workers across the board as they struggle to make ends meet.

“We know local councils are struggling to balance the books because they too are seeing below-inflation rises in their funding from central government. This is the root of the problem. The Westminster government is able to throw money at their friends and donors but can’t find the cash to maintain essential public services run by local authorities, health boards and fire services. We need to see better funding for our public services by re-directing money to the frontline rather than to millionaires on luxury yachts.

“The PPE scandal, where Tories fast-tracked funding to their friends and donors, is only one recent example of how this government has raided the public purse to enrich themselves at the expense of ordinary workers. It has to end and that’s why we’re supporting the campaign for better pay in the public sector.”