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| Assembly members' pay: 'Reject increase' says Unison | Assembly members' pay: 'Reject increase' says Unison |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A £10,000 pay rise for Welsh assembly members should be rejected, says public sector workers' union Unison. | A £10,000 pay rise for Welsh assembly members should be rejected, says public sector workers' union Unison. |
| The pay proposal represents an 18% increase and is being recommended by an independent panel. | |
| Under the proposal, an AM would see their salary rise from £54,000 to about £64,000 after the 2016 elections. | Under the proposal, an AM would see their salary rise from £54,000 to about £64,000 after the 2016 elections. |
| But Liberal Democrat AM Aled Roberts said it would be "very, very difficult for me to look friends and neighbours in the eye" if he accepted the rise. | |
| He said AMs needed to live in the real world. | |
| The first minister and members of the cabinet would see their pay rise to £140,000 and £100,000 respectively. | The first minister and members of the cabinet would see their pay rise to £140,000 and £100,000 respectively. |
| Live 'like ordinary people' | Live 'like ordinary people' |
| The remuneration board examining Welsh politicians' pay said the increase in salary reflected an increase in responsibility as more power was devolved to Wales. | The remuneration board examining Welsh politicians' pay said the increase in salary reflected an increase in responsibility as more power was devolved to Wales. |
| One senior Unison figure said unless AMs were willing to challenge pay restraint in other public bodies, they should refuse the offer. | |
| But Dominic MacAskill, who is head of local government for Unison, said unless AMs could act on stringent pay deals for his members, they should say no to the increase and "lead the life of ordinary working people". | But Dominic MacAskill, who is head of local government for Unison, said unless AMs could act on stringent pay deals for his members, they should say no to the increase and "lead the life of ordinary working people". |
| The recommendations now go to public consultation with a finalised package to be published in May 2015, a year before the 2016 assembly election. | The recommendations now go to public consultation with a finalised package to be published in May 2015, a year before the 2016 assembly election. |
| Sir Alistair Graham, former chairman of the Commons committee on Standards in Public Life, called the recommendation "an absolutely staggering increase, especially in these austere times". | |
| He said: "Nurses are going out on strike because not all of them are even getting a 1% increase. | |
| "It couldn't be a worse time to suggest such a massive increase. | |
| "I'm really surprised they're proposing it in one go, rather than if it can be justified staggering it over a much longer period." | |
| However he added: "In a democratic system, you do have to have salary arrangements that ensure that anybody, no matter what their background or profession, feel that they can fulfil that public role without submitting their families to a mass of sacrifice in their standard of living." | |
| The political parties have given a cautious reaction to the proposals. | The political parties have given a cautious reaction to the proposals. |
| A Labour source said the matter "will need to be discussed by the group in the assembly". | A Labour source said the matter "will need to be discussed by the group in the assembly". |
| A Welsh Conservative spokesman said the party remained "committed to a reduction in the cost of Welsh politics" and hoped "as many people as possible have their say" in the consultation. | A Welsh Conservative spokesman said the party remained "committed to a reduction in the cost of Welsh politics" and hoped "as many people as possible have their say" in the consultation. |
| Plaid Cymru said the proposals "seem out of step with public sector pay" but would discuss them with the other parties. | Plaid Cymru said the proposals "seem out of step with public sector pay" but would discuss them with the other parties. |
| The Welsh Liberal Democrats said they would respond to the proposals "in due course", but added that they had argued that AMs' pay should be frozen for the duration of the current assembly, "at a time when budgets have been squeezed". | The Welsh Liberal Democrats said they would respond to the proposals "in due course", but added that they had argued that AMs' pay should be frozen for the duration of the current assembly, "at a time when budgets have been squeezed". |