Plaid Cymru would raise tax for everyone in Wales in order to fund a pay rise for NHS workers. The plans would give NHS staff the "first real terms pay increase in over a decade", they claim.
Their proposals would see NHS staff given a pay increase of 8%. Care workers would also benefit from a £12 an hour minimum pay rise. This would cost £17 million and the party proposes taking advantage of Wales' tax varying powers to fund it.
Speaking on Thursday morning, leader of Plaid Cymru Adam Price called for the Welsh Government to use their tax varying powers to "increase the basic rate of tax by 1 pence, the higher rate of tax by 2 pence, and the additional rate of tax by 3 pence.
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He added: "An unprecedented crisis calls for genuine solutions. Fair pay for nurses will mean fair play for patients and would signal a real investment in our NHS, putting it on a sustainable footing for the future.
"The extra cash would also allow us to provide more financial support to those in greatest need – such as extending free school meals to secondary schools to help families on universal credit, supporting people struggling to pay their mortgages, or increasing the EMA to help young people continue their education. "
The proposal follows the party's five point plan which was revealed last week, where the party then claimed that Wales can afford better pay for NHS staff. Sign up for our WalesMatters newsletter here, to get stories like this direct to your inbox.
Mr Price continued: “Plaid Cymru’s proposals offer a way forward. Using the tax powers we have here in Wales, we could generate an extra £317 million to offer NHS workers fairer pay and provide care workers with £12 an hour as a minimum.
“Fair pay for nurses will mean fair play for patients and would signal a real investment in our NHS, putting it on a sustainable footing for the future. Labour cannot in good faith say they are doing everything they can to support health and care workers when they have so far refused to use the tax powers at their disposal.
“Asking those with the broadest shoulders to contribute the most would also allow us to create a Welsh Solidarity Fund that could help extend free school meals to secondary schools for families in receipt of universal credit, support people struggling to pay their mortgages, or increase the Education Maintenance Allowance to help young people continue their education.
“If Labour truly are the party of the workers as they claim to be, they will support our amendment to the Budget, and if they truly believe in a fair taxation system, they will join us in demanding the powers to set our own tax bands just like Scotland, rather than be ruled by Westminster.”
The proposal comes following weeks of strikes with more planned by NHS staff. The Welsh Government insists Wales cannot afford the money nurses are asking for.
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