NHS workers are set to get a 3% rise - but health unions have blasted the below inflation increase as a "slap in the face".

The GMB union has written a letter to Health Minister Eluned Morgan to outline its concerns and says strike action could be on the cards following an indicative ballot of members.

Yesterday, July 21, the Welsh Government announced a 3% rise for NHS and social care staff set to apply retrospectively from April 21, and came following recommendations from the NHS Pay Review Body and the Doctors and Dentist Review Body.

"Once again, I want to thank our Welsh NHS staff for their extraordinary efforts over the course of this pandemic. Many staff have worked extremely long hours under enormous pressure," said Eluned Morgan MS.

"This pay rise recognises the dedication and commitment of hardworking NHS staff and the enormous contribution they have made. It is also a recognition of how valued they are by Welsh communities.

"For our lowest paid staff, this means we have gone above the Living Wage recommendation of £9.50 an hour, demonstrating our commitment to NHS Wales being a Living Wage employer.

But unions say the increase is below the current rate of inflation (3.9% RPI) and will result in a real-terms cut for its members.

Paul Gage, GMB Health lead for Powys said the offer was a "slap in the face" for NHS staff, and says that due to increased pension contributions could even result in them taking home less money than before the rise.

"It doesn't matter where you are, everyone has pulled together during the pandemic and it's not good enough," he said.

"Let's get it right, it's not an offer it's an imposition - for the majority of staff we represent, the effect it's going to have on them is that they'll be lucky to see 1.5% because of their pension contributions. For some of our members this will actually result in them getting less money than before.

"Often poorly equipped and understaffed over the last 18 months, our NHS staff have battled through adversity on the frontline against Coronavirus. And the thanks they get? A decade of real term pay cuts in the run-up and a fresh one imposed on them by the government. Everybody says that our NHS staff deserve better after what they did for us over the last 18 months.

"We’ll be balloting our members with a clear recommendation for rejection and for industrial action."

The announcement followed an identical 3% rise for staff in England by the UK Government the previous day.

Speaking after the UK government's announcement Rachel Harrison, GMB National Officer said the government had "failed spectacularly" to turn gestures such as the doorstep "clap for carers" into real recognition of their efforts.

"Hospitals and ambulance services are operating under extreme pressures due to rising demand and staffing shortages," she said.

"Now, rather than focussing on staff welfare they are being advised to enter the workplace against self-isolation advice and now given this frankly appalling pay offer which is yet another real terms cut.

"This was the opportunity for Government to turn their clapping in to genuine recognition. Their response is paltry. They have failed spectacularly.

"NHS workers know their worth and so do the public - shame on the government who don’t."