BREAKING: Ambulance drivers strike to go ahead after talks with minister breakdown

The strike by ambulance drivers and other NHS auxiliary workers will go ahead after talks with the health minister broke down today.

Union leaders and the Secretary of Health Steve Barclay met on Monday, January 9 in an effort to try and avert a strike. The breakdown comes as a shock after reports that the government was softening its stance and was considering a deal, however, today the minister only wanted to talk about productivity.

Onay Kasab, Unite’s National Lead, told Sky News that the government “only wanted to talk about productivity.” He added that as there was no detailed discussion on a pay settlement, the strike on 23 January would go ahead.

Continuing he said: “Productivity when our members are working 18-hour shifts! Quite how you become more productive, I don’t know.

“I’m very angry on behalf of our members.”

Referring to government demands in return for a pay rise, he said: “It’s an insult.”

It is understood that there was no cash offer and no concrete offer for the next financial year, which starts in April. As a result, the meeting with the minister broke down, which means that the ambulance drivers’ strike will go ahead.

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