Union calls off tomorrow's ambulance worker strikes to enter pay talks

Union calls off tomorrow’s nationwide ambulance worker strikes to enter pay talks with the Government

• Thousands of NHS workers across England had been due to stage walkouts
• But walkouts have been paused ‘following further assurances from Government’

The Unite union has called off nationwide ambulance worker strikes planned for tomorrow to enter pay talks with the Government.

Thousands of NHS workers across England had been due to stage walkouts on Monday and Wednesday in an ongoing dispute over pay.

But Unite union members at at ambulance trusts in the West Midlands, North West, South Central, South Coastal, and East Midlands announced this afternoon they are pausing their industrial action for pay talks to take place this week.

Unite head of operations Gail Cartmail said: ‘Following further assurances from the Government over the weekend, Unite has in good faith agreed to pause the strike action.

‘If the meeting doesn’t meet these assurances strike action will resume.’ 

Striking ambulance workers on the picket line at the North West Ambulance Service NHS Trust in January

Unite the Union General Secretary Sharon Graham joins striking health care workers on the picket line outside Cardiff Ambulance Station last month

It would have marked the first time that Unite members in South Central and South Coastal had taken industrial action.

Members in Yorkshire, who are also planning to strike for the first time, were due to take industrial action on Wednesday.

It comes after Unison and GMB unions cancelled industrial action which would have involved tens of thousands of key workers.

Unison and GMB made the decision after the Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC) said money was available for potential pay rises covering this year and next.

Some 32,000 NHS workers would have been involved in planned Unison strikes – including 24,500 ambulance staff – while 13,000 ambulance workers were part of the GMB action.

The ‘huge shift’ came after 999 crews dramatically vowed to escalate the strikes by refusing to respond to some heart attack and stroke victims.

GMB bosses said ministers have agreed to discuss pay for both this financial year and next, in a sign that NHS staff will be given a backdated pay rise to avert more chaos.

Pay talks with the Unite union will take place this week, bosses have said. Pictured: ‘Health Secretary Steve Barclay

Ambulance workers on the picket line outside the Bromsgrove Ambulance Hub, Worcestershire in the West Midlands

Unions have been assured that any cash rises — which could cost billions — will not have to be ringfenced from existing health budgets.

GMB strikes in Wales which were also due to take place on Monday have also been suspended for further talks with the Government there. 

It comes after a similar Government offer to open pay talks between the nursing union, the Royal College of Nursing (RCN), led to the suspension of strikes which were due to be held this week.

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