WELSH Labour’s manifesto launch for the May 7 Senedd election met a lukewarm response from some trade unions today.

The Fairness You Feel manifesto includes a pledge to create new jobs, but Unite Wales was unimpressed, saying it would have liked more detail on how they would be created.

The union’s Pasty Turner said: “Talk of jobs down the line is all we hear, when what we need is what these jobs are, how do we train the next generation for these roles and also develop those in work that need to transition into the jobs of tomorrow.”

Welsh Labour is fighting its seventh election to be the ruling party in Wales, with First Minister Eluned Morgan saying: “I think we’ve got to be honest about where people are.

“People like the new school in their community, they love the free bus pass and they can’t believe free hospital parking and free prescriptions don’t happen in England.

“And yet there’s a feeling that something isn’t quite right — they feel that they’re not getting a fair shake of the dice.”

The Morning Star quizzed Ms Morgan about the core pledge not to raise income tax rates in Wales, saying this was a long-standing Welsh Labour policy, and asked why the party did not go for the power to change tax bands, as the Scottish government has.

The Welsh Labour leader said that conversations about tax bands were continuing.

“The important thing for me is that we recognise people are struggling with the cost of living, and so what they need is to be able to plan their futures and give them an assurance we won’t be putting up taxes,” she added.

Unison Cymru gave the manifesto a cautious welcome, especially its commitments to a negotiating body for school support staff with year-round pay for workers who are currently paid only during term time.

Unison’s Jess Turner said the direction on a national care service was welcome, while adding: “It must be accompanied by the same ambition on removing profit from adult social care as we are seeing in children’s services.”

Teaching unions were unhappy that the manifesto included more changes to the education system in Wales

NASUWT’s Neil Butler said: “The Welsh government has heaped change after change, initiative after initiative upon the Welsh education service and the manifesto commitments look like more of the same.”

Laura Doel of school leaders’ union NAHT said: “Talk of fairer, more consistent school budgets is positive, but at a time when many Welsh schools are facing deficits and impossible decisions between reducing staffing and resources, the simple truth is that more funding is needed.”