Union calls off ambulance strikes due today to enter pay talks with Government
AMBULANCE strikes in England due today have been called off by the Unite union.
Workers at ambulance trusts in the West Midlands, North West, South Central, South Coastal and East Midlands had planned walkouts.
Unite paused the action yesterday afternoon to enter pay talks with the Government after receiving “further assurances”.
But the union’s operations chief Gail Cartmail warned: “If the meeting doesn’t meet assurances from the Government, action will resume.”
It would have been the first time members in South Central and South Coastal had taken action.
Unite also called off strikes in Wales today as pay talks continue with the Welsh Government.
Members in Yorkshire, who are also planning to strike for the first time, were due to take industrial action on Wednesday.
Health secretary Steve Barclay said: “Strikes are in nobody’s best interests and only cause further disruption for patients, despite contingency measures in place.
“It is time unions engaged constructively with the pay review body process for 2023/24 and cancelled strikes so we can move forward and continue tackling the Covid backlog.
“I’ve been clear throughout that I remain keen to keep talking to unions about what is fair and affordable for the coming financial year, as well as wider concerns around conditions and workload so we can make the NHS a better place to work.”