Huge Ambulance Strike Set to Hit NHS in February and March
More than 10,000 GMB union members, including paramedics, emergency care assistants, and call handlers, are gearing up for major strikes at eight NHS ambulance trusts. The walkouts will take place on February 6 and 20, and again on March 6 and 20.
Meanwhile, staff at West Midlands Ambulance Service will strike on January 23, and North West Ambulance Service workers will walk out on January 24.
Union Fury as Government Pay Talks Collapse
The strikes come after bitter talks with the government broke down. The GMB union says its members are “angry” and “are done” accepting pay deals they call a “massive real terms pay cut.”
“Our message to the government is simple: talk now, pay later,” said GMB national secretary Rachel Harrison.
“Ministers have made things worse by demonising ambulance workers who provided life-saving cover during strikes, playing political games with scaremongering.”
“A proper pay offer is the only way to end this dispute, but the cold, dead hands of Number 10 and 11 Downing Street are blocking progress.”
“We have no choice but to strike. GMB ambulance workers won’t back down. It’s up to the government to take pay seriously. We’re just waiting.”
More Ambulance Strikes Loom as Unite Joins the Fray
The ambulance services in South West, South East, North West, South Central, North East, East Midlands, Welsh, and Yorkshire are all set for strike action in February and March.
Unite union, representing 100,000 NHS workers, plans fresh ambulance strikes too. The union’s ambulance committee will meet on Wednesday to decide new strike dates, which will be voted on by members.
Unite ambulance staff in Wales are already planning strikes this Thursday and next Monday.
On January 11, around 25,000 ambulance workers across England and Wales went on strike, hitting services hard. Paramedics, drivers, technicians, and call handlers from Unison and GMB staged staggered walkouts over 24 hours.
Public Support Keeps Ambulance Workers Fighting
GMB ambulance workers called off their planned December 28 strike after “incredible” public backing during the December 21 walkout.
With tensions high and government pay offers rejected, more disruption to NHS ambulance services looks set to follow.
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