More than 10,000 GMB union members working as paramedics, emergency care assistants, call handlers, and...

Published: 6:02 pm January 18, 2023
Updated: 9:49 am October 8, 2025
A teenage girl was involved in a collision with a bus in Eltham, leading to her injury

More than 10,000 GMB union members working as paramedics, emergency care assistants, call handlers, and other ambulance staff at eight NHS trusts are set to strike on February 6 and 20, as well as March 6 and 20.

Workers at West Midlands Ambulance Service will also go on strike on January 23, while North West Ambulance Service will strike on January 24.

Nurses go on strike for 48 hours as minister rejects pay raise – latest news

The dates have been announced after talks with the government broke down, with the union saying their members are “angry” and “are done”.

GMB union members voted against the government’s 4% pay rise, saying it was “another massive real terms pay cut”.

GMB national secretary Rachel Harrison stated: “Our message to the government is simple: talk now, pay later.

“Ministers have exacerbated the situation by demonising the ambulance workers who provided life-saving coverage on strike days, thereby playing political games with their scaremongering.

“A proper pay offer is the only way to resolve this dispute. However, it appears that the cold, dead hands of Number 10 and 11 Downing Street are preventing this from happening.

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“We have no choice but to go on strike in the face of government inaction.

“GMB ambulance workers are adamant; they will not back down. It is up to this government to take pay seriously. We’re just waiting.”

If you work for the NHS and want to share your experiences with us anonymously, please email [email protected].

The following ambulance services will be on strike in February and March: South West, South East, North West, South Central, North East, East Midlands, Welsh, and Yorkshire.

The Unite union is also planning more ambulance strikes, accusing the government of refusing to negotiate.

The ambulance committee of Unite, which represents 100,000 NHS workers, will meet later on Wednesday to set new strike dates, which will then be put to members for approval.

Unite ambulance workers are planning to strike in Wales on Thursday and next Monday.

Around 25,000 ambulance workers in England and Wales went on strike on January 11.

Over a 24-hour period, paramedics, call handlers, drivers, and technicians from the Unison and GMB unions staged staggered walkouts.

GMB ambulance workers’ strike on December 28th was called off due to “incredible” public support during the union’s industrial action on December 21st.

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