‘Desperate’ ambulance workers vote on biggest strike for 30 years in dispute over pay
Staff from 11 trusts will take part in the GMB ballot as union boss says they ‘can’t make ends meet’
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.More than 15,000 ambulance workers across 11 trusts in England and Wales start voting on Monday on whether to strike over pay.
Members of the GMB union are being balloted in the coming weeks amid continuing industrial unrest in many sectors of the economy.
NHS workers in other unions, including nurses, are also being asked if they want to take strike action over pay.
Ambulance workers from the following trusts will take part in the GMB ballot: 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 and Yorkshire Ambulance Service.
The GMB said its members were angry over the government’s imposed 4 per cent pay award, describing it as “another massive real terms pay cut.”
Rachel Harrison, GMB acting national secretary, said: “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?”
A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: “We value the hard work of NHS staff and are working hard to support them – including by giving over one million NHS workers a pay rise of at least £1,400 this year.
“Industrial action is a matter for unions, and we urge them to carefully consider the potential impacts on patients.”