Welsh ambulance strike put on hold after ‘positive and intensive set of negotiations’

GMB and Unite, the two unions representing Welsh Ambulance Service staff, have called off a planned strike on Monday, March 6th, after “significant progress” was made in talks with the Welsh Government.

More than half of Wales’ ambulance workers went on strike in February over pay and working conditions.

The decision to pause the industrial action was announced in a joint statement, it said:

“After a positive and intensive set of negotiations today, GMB alongside our sister union Unite have agreed to suspend strike action on Monday 6th March so that further talks can take place with Welsh Ambulance and the Welsh Government.”

“This means that on Monday, members should return to work as normal”

“Today’s talks are a positive step forward, but negotiations will continue Monday.”

“We did not take the decision to call off strike action lightly, and no suspension of future action has been agreed by us or Unite at this stage. ”

Although the Welsh government welcomed the decision, the unions emphasised that no suspension of future action had been agreed upon.

Talks are expected to continue next week.

The February strikes followed the rejection of a Welsh Government pay offer of 3% for 2022-23, on top of the average 4.5% paid to health workers last autumn.

Unite’s Richard Munn had previously stated that the offer was “not good enough” for workers who were at “breaking point”.