NHS Ambulances workers are voting today to strike over pay

NHS ambulance workers across the UK are voting today whether to go on strike over pay, with possible further ballots by the GMB of other staff within the NHS.  

The first of the ballots is due to take place today Monday, October 24 in what one doctor has described as “the disaster of this leadership.”

The disaster of this leadership, when during the worst ambulance crisis in our history ambulance staff have to strike to fight a real terms pay cut. Economic lunacy!

— Dr Dan Goyal (@danielgoyal) October 24, 2022

The GMB has criticised the government’s imposed four per cent pay award, describing it as “another massive real term pay cut,” adding that members were extremely angered by the move.

That anger has led to the vote on strike action across 11 health trusts in England and Wales, including:

• East of England Ambulance Service
  • East Midlands Ambulance Service
  • London Ambulance Service
  • North East Ambulance Service
  • North West Ambulance Service
  • South Central Ambulance Service
  • South East Coast Ambulance Service
  • South West Ambulance Service
  • Welsh Ambulance Service
  • West Midlands Ambulance Service
  • Yorkshire Ambulance Service

Rachel Harrison, GMB acting national secretary, told Sky News: “Ambulance workers don’t do this lightly and this would be the biggest ambulance strike for 30 years.

“But more than 10 years of pay cuts, plus the cost-of-living crisis, means workers can’t make ends meet.

“They are desperate. This is much more about patient safety at least as much about pay.

“Delays up to 26 hours and 135,000 vacancies across the NHS mean a third of GMB ambulance workers think a delay they’ve been involved with has led to a death.

“Ambulance workers have been telling the government for years things are unsafe.

“No one is listening. What else can they do?”

The threat of strike action comes at a time when the NHS is under severe pressure and facing what could possibly be its worst winter in decades. It also comes as the inflation rate in the UK heads into double figures, and is well below the average wage increase being offered by employers this year.

NHS ambulance workers who are voting today will also be keeping a close watch on the vote to replace outgoing Prime Minister Liz Truss.

Thank you for taking the time to read this article, do remember to come back and check The Euro Weekly News website for all your up-to-date local and international news stories and remember, you can also follow us on Facebook and Instagram.