Ambulance workers have said they will go on strike before Christmas in a row over pay, according to the UK’s biggest trade union.
Thousands of 999 call handlers, ambulance technicians, paramedics and their colleagues working for ambulance services in the North East, North West, London, Yorkshire and the South West are due to be called out on strike over pay and staffing levels, UNISON said.
The union revealed large numbers of its members had voted to take industrial action following a long-running dispute over pay and staffing levels.
Next month nurses will stage their first ever national walkout ‘in a bid to be heard’ by the government over a pay dispute.
The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) confirmed its members in England, Wales and Northern Ireland will strike on December 15 and 20.
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The escalation of the pay row raging across the NHS comes after the government failed to commit to formal negotiations with the trade union.
UNISON general secretary Christina McAnea said: ‘The decision to take action and lose a day’s pay is always a tough call. It’s especially challenging for those whose jobs involve caring and saving lives.
‘But thousands of ambulance staff and their NHS colleagues know delays won’t lessen, nor waiting times reduce, until the government acts on wages. That’s why they’ve taken the difficult decision to strike.’
She added that, despite the strikes, patients will ‘always come first’ and emergency cover will be available.
‘The public knows health services won’t improve without huge increases in staffing and wants the government to pay up to save the NHS. It’s high time ministers stopped using the pay review body as cover for their inaction,’ she said.
It follows a decision by up to 100,000 nurses from the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) to stage a mass walkout in December – one of the busiest months for the NHS.
Health workers belonging to UNISON and working in Northern Ireland have also voted to take action over pay and staffing.
However, in Scotland, the union is recommending its NHS members vote to accept the latest offer from the Scottish government, which will see a £2,205 increase for the lowest paid staff, and more for those on higher bands.
Earlier this month, both UNISON and RCN were among several that met Health Secretary Steve Barclay to discuss the growing NHS ‘workforce crisis’ and to urge the government to take action on wages.
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