Unite Union: Fresh strike dates announced for Welsh Ambulance workers

Welsh ambulance workers have announced further strike dates in response to the new pay offer from the Welsh government.

The workers, who are members of the trade union Unite, will strike on the 20th, 21st and 22nd of February.

The strikes are seen as an escalation of the union’s industrial action and come after Unite’s General Secretary, Sharon Graham, visited ambulance service picket lines and heard complaints that the new pay offer was not acceptable.

Ambulance workers who are members of the GMB union suspended further action while further pay talks take place with the Welsh government. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

On Friday, GMB announced that it would ballot its members on a new pay offer, which includes a 1.5% non-consolidated rise and a 1.5% consolidated one-off payment for 2022-2023, on top of the already imposed 4.5%. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

In a statement, Sharon Graham said, “Without a decent consolidated pay rise, the staffing exodus afflicting NHS Wales will continue, and so will the current crisis”.

She added, “Unite is entirely focused on fighting for our members and for the future of the NHS.”

“Unite’s Welsh Ambulance Service members will continue to receive the union’s total support”.

Speaking to BBC Radio Wales this morning, Ms Graham called for a more acceptable offer to be made. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

She said the current offer from the Welsh government, which includes a lump sum, won’t be accepted by the members of her union and has called for more of the money to be included in the workers’ long-term wages for stability. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Ms Graham also criticised the £300 million spent on agency workers in the Welsh NHS and believes that funds could be better used to resolve the ongoing dispute. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Unite Wales Regional Officer, Richard Munn, also released a statement, saying that Unite members have told the union that the pay offer made last week was not good enough and that the Welsh government must do better to resolve the dispute.

He added, “We are asking Welsh government to improve their offer in order to avert further industrial action”.

The new strike dates are likely to cause further disruption to the Welsh Ambulance Service and may impact the delivery of emergency services to the public.

It is unclear at this stage what action the Welsh government will take in response to the strikes, but they have expressed their commitment to working with Unite to resolve the dispute.