Unite workers in Wales announce 4 new ambulance strike dates

More strikes days by ambulance workers in Wales have been announced by the Unite union.

Around 1000 ambulance staff who are members of Unite are to stage four further strikes over the coming weeks in Wales.

The move by Unite comes after the GMB union, which represents around 1,500 ambulance staff in Wales announced four new stoppages.

Both ambulance worker unions will strike on February 6, February 20th, March 6th, and 20 March.

February strike dates mark the first time that both ambulance staff and the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) will taken action on the same time.​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Members of the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) will also strike on February 6 and 7 unless a new pay offer is put on the table by Welsh Government.

Ambulance workers who are members of Unite will take to the picket line on February 6th, February 20th, March 6th, and March.

Paramedics, emergency care assistants, call handlers, and other staff who are members of GMB will also walk out on the same days.

The strikes are a result of ongoing disputes over pay and working conditions, with NHS staff seeking a pay increase closer to inflation, which is currently at a 40-year high of around 10%.

The strike action comes as the country is facing a crisis in its ambulance services, with record-breaking delays in handover times and patients left waiting for hours outside A&E departments.

Health Minister Eluned Morgan met with health union representatives last week in a bid to curb further industrial action and address workers’ concerns. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​​​‌‌​‌‍‌​​‌‌​‌​‍‌​​​​‌‌‌‍‌​​‌​‌‌‌‍‌​​‌‌‌‌​‍‌​​‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​​‌​​​​‍‌​​​‌​‌‌‍‌​​‌‌‌​​‍‌​​‌​​​​‍‌​​‌​​‌​ ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​ ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​ ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

The Welsh Government’s offer of a one-off payment for NHS staff “falls far short of what our members need” unions said.

​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Rather than act to protect the NHS and negotiate an end to the dispute, the government has disgracefully chosen to demonise ambulance workers.”

“Ministers are deliberately misleading the public about the life and limb cover and who is to blame for excessive deaths.”

“Our members faithfully provide life and limb cover on strike days and it’s not the unions who are not providing minimum service levels: It’s this government’s disastrous handling of the NHS that has brought it to breaking point. And as crisis piles on crisis, the prime minister is seen to be ‘washing his hands’ of the dispute. What a disgrace. What an abdication of leadership.”

As with previous strikes, Unite’s representatives will be working at a regional level to agree derogations to ensure that emergency life and limb cover will be in place during the strikes.

Other derogations will ensure that patients needing lifesaving treatment, such as renal care and cancer treatment, will be transported to their appointments.

The Welsh Ambulance Service has said that during any strike action, emergency services will still be available, “and we are working with our trade union partners, staff and the wider health system to make sure that we can continue to deliver essential services.”

“Inevitably, healthcare services will be disrupted, and we’re asking everyone to use our services sensibly at this difficult time.”

“Please make sure you plan ahead and stock up on your prescription medicines, look after yourself, friends, neighbours and family, and only call 111 (or 999) when there is a genuine need to do so.”