To mark 70th anniversary
The union claims average pay for nurses has fallen by more than 14% in real terms since 2010 due to a pay increase cap of 1% for public-sector workers. This has now been lifted.
A spokeswoman for the RCN said: “This deal is only the beginning. We will continue to fight for better pay and conditions for all members of the nursing family – whether in the NHS or the independent sector.
“We will be working hard over the coming weeks to make sure our members have all the information they need to make an informed choice, but we believe that this is the best deal that we could do through negotiation.
“It has been a long and arduous journey to get to this point, but the success of the Scrap the Cap campaign shows the power our members can wield over government policy.
“We will now be engaging with our members to see what they think. It is vital that as many members as possible take part in the consultation on the proposed deal.”
Helen Rogers, the director in Wales of the Royal College of Midwives, said this was a “good deal” for its members.
She said: “Over the past number of months the RCM has worked hard with other NHS unions and the Welsh Government to negotiate and secure the best possible deal for midwives and maternity workers in Wales.
“Today’s offer is long overdue. Midwives and maternity support workers work tirelessly every day to deliver safe, high-quality care to mothers and babies in Wales and it is only fair that they are rewarded fairly for the care they deliver.
“The RCM will now consult with our members in Wales, provide more information and encourage them to engage with the RCM on this important pay consultation process.”
Donna Hutton, Unison Cymru/ Wales head of health, said: “Welsh healthcare workers are working harder than ever before. They have endured eight years of pay caps, costing them the equivalent to a fifth of their pay, and they deserve a substantial pay rise.”
Shadow Secretary for Health, Angela Burns AM, said Wales needed to offer its staff the same wages as England so there was an even playing field when it came to recruitment.
She said: “NHS staff in Wales are incredibly dedicated, hardworking and diligent. Their care and professionalism is the foundation of our NHS and it is only right that they are rewarded accordingly.”