University staff to walk out for 18 days as ambulance workers consider further strikes

Several industrial disputes saw developments on Thursday, including rail and civil service

More than 70,000 university staff will strike for 18 days between February and March in a dispute over pay and conditions, union bosses have announced.

Thursday saw several developments in Britain’s many industrial disputes as it emerged the ambulance union will meet next week to consider six more strike days.

Staff at more than 150 universities across the country are demanding that employers push up their offer of a 3 per cent pay rise after more than a decade of below-inflation increases, the union said.

“The clock is now ticking for the sector to produce a deal or be hit with widespread disruption throughout spring,” UCU general secretary Jo Grady said.

Meanwhile, around 100,000 civil servants have also decided to go ahead with a walkout next month after failed talks with the government were dismissed as a “total farce”.

Doctors’ unions told health secretary Steve Barclay that he must address the “workforce crisis” within health and social care at a meeting on Thursday, during which there was no movement on pay demands, while a ballot of a teacher’s union failed to meet the threshold for strike action.

Talks aimed at resolving the long-running rail dispute were also set to continue following meetings between unions and employers on Thursday.

Further ambulance strikes loom as figures showed emergency response times had fallen to their worst on record, with more than one in 10 people left waiting for paramedics for more than three-and-a-half hours, including with serious illnesses such as heart attacks, strokes and sepsis.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer accused the government of damaging the NHS. Speaking in Belfast, he said: “The most important thing is that these strikes are ended. They will only be ended if the government gets in the room and negotiates and so instead of grandstanding, they need to govern.”

Doctors’ unions told Steve Barclay that he must address the ‘workforce crisis’ in the NHS (PA)

Mr Barclay was given a “very clear message” that it would not be enough to focus on next year’s NHS settlement with doctors without a shift on current wages, union leaders said.

Representatives from the British Medical Association (BMA), hospital doctors’ union the HCSA, and the British Dental Association (BDA) all met Mr Barclay on Thursday at what was described by both sides as a “constructive” meeting.

A strike by 100,000 civil servants will go ahead next month after talks with the government aimed at resolving a bitter dispute over pay, jobs and conditions broke down.

Cabinet Office minister Jeremy Quin met with union leaders to discuss growing industrial unrest after weeks of stoppages across the country, including by Border Force staff over Christmas. Unions had made it clear more money would have to be offered to head off an escalation of stoppages.

Mark Serwotka, general secretary of the Public and Commercial Services union (PCS), said: “This meeting was a total farce. Despite being well-trailed by the government as a chance to resolve the crisis, it was nothing of the sort because the minister had nothing to offer.

“He didn’t deny our members were being offered less than anyone else, he didn’t deny tens of thousands of our members only get a pay rise because of the rise in the national minimum wage but he refused to give us a pay rise now.”

Ambulance workers on the picket line outside Longley ambulance station in Sheffield (PA)

Nine out of 10 members of the Nasuwt teachers union in England and Wales voted for strikes over pay – but the turnout was 42 per cent, falling short of the 50 per cent legal requirement.

Nasuwt general secretary Patrick Roach said the union remains “in formal disputes with ministers and employers and will be continuing to take forward our campaigning for a Better Deal for Teachers.

He said: “The readiness of our members to support industrial action demonstrates the anger of the profession and the need for governments in England and Wales to engage in meaningful negotiations to address the deep concerns of our members.

“Our campaign to fight for the real-terms pay awards that teachers and headteachers deserve continues.”

Leaders of the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union and the Transport Salaried Staffs Association (TSSA) met separately with the Rail Delivery Group on Thursday. Both sides said detailed discussions were held and they were working towards a revised offer.

Strikes have been held since last summer in the row over pay, jobs and conditions, causing huge disruption to services. No more strikes have been called.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Mick Lynch, RMT general secretary, said: “We have been in detailed discussions with the Rail Delivery Group for the train operating companies. We are working jointly towards a revised offer for their section of the dispute.

“We’ve agreed that over the next couple of days we’ll continue to work on that through discussions, and we’ll see what comes of it.”

Additional reporting by Press Association.