NEWS that staff at a number of popular attractions across Newport are considering striking has been branded "disappointing" by the organisation in charge.

Yesterday, we reported that leisure workers in the city are to be balloted for strike action as a pay dispute escalates.

UNISON say Newport Live are refusing to negotiate on pay, despite having a written agreement with the union to do just that. 

Newport Live, UNISON say, are "burying their heads in the sand".

The union says Newport Live gave employees a pay rise of three per cent from April - below that month’s rate of inflation, which was 8.7 per cent according to the Consumer Price Index.

Now, in a statement provided to the Argus the day after the story was published, Newport Live have said they are "disappointed" that the situation has reached the stage it has.

"Newport Live is committed to fair practices and preserving good employment relations and have done so since the charity was created in April 2015," the statement reads.

"The pay award process undertaken has not changed since the inception of Newport Live."

Newport Live say they "recognise the challenges that the cost-of-living crisis and impact of inflation has placed on employees".

"With the support of the board of trustees, we implemented a three per cent pay award for 2023-2024 from April 1, 2023," they said.

"Newport Live is committed to implementing the Real Living Wage Foundation, which for 2023-2024 is £10.90 per hour.

"As such this is Newport Live’s minimum hourly rate for all colleagues."

Newport Live said it was "important to share the cumulative impact" of their pay award history prior to April 2023.

Newport Live laid out their pay rise history

In April 2022 Newport Live’s pay award was three per cent.

In addition to this pay award, Newport Live made its first in year pay award of a fixed amount being added to each salary point or 4.04 per cent, whichever was the greater.

This was implemented in November 2022.

The increases on a cumulative basis from April 2022 to April 2023, have resulted in a minimum pay award of 10.4 per cent with the highest being 19.3 per cent.

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UNISON Newport city branch secretary Peter Garland said: “Newport Live has no idea of the level of anger they’ve caused by taking their workforce for granted during the worst cost-of-living crisis in a generation. 

“Despite rocketing inflation and staff telling them they are struggling, they want to bury their heads in the sand and hope it all will go away."

After news of strike action being considered, Newport Live said they were "disappointed by this action", but "respect that decision".

"Newport Live has and will continue to communicate with the unions," they said, "but are disappointed that this situation has reached this point."