Welsh Conservatives have called for assurances that Labour and Plaid Assembly Members who joined picket lines this week will forfeit a day’s pay.
Group Leader in the Assembly, Andrew RT Davies AM, has asked for a guarantee from each party that the Members – who include the Assembly’s impartial Presiding Officer – will not accept public money for work carried out on Wednesday November 30th.
Mr Davies has also highlighted the National Assembly as the only democratically elected legislature in the UK to cancel all business on strike day. He has written to the Presiding Officer to ask for an assurance that the same will not happen again.
Mr Davies said: “Public sector workers forfeited a day’s pay to strike. It’s only right the Assembly Members who travelled around to join them do the same.
“Many were pictured on Twitter at numerous picket lines across Wales and if common sense prevails, they will not expect to be paid from the public purse. To do so would be an example of gross double standards.
“That Wales was home to the only legislative body in the UK with no business yesterday – due to the strike – is also a matter of great concern.
“The Commission’s recommendation that business could not proceed is not something I want repeated in the future. We need a contingency plan in place and I am writing to the Presiding Officer to ask for assurances that this will happen.
“Stormont, Holyrood and Westminster were all open for business on strike day. I am worried that the National Assembly for Wales will now be perceived negatively by businesses both across the UK and beyond.”
