Ambulance Workers To Strike On Two Days This Month

Workers at East Midlands Ambulance Service will strike on two days later this month.

Paramedics, Emergency Care Assistants, call handlers and other staff who are members of the GMB Union will walkout for 24 hours on December 21st and December 28th.

They will join colleagues at eight other ambulance trusts nationwide for the coordinated action, after voting to strike over pay.

Strikes will begin at 6am on both days and will affect non-life threatening calls only.

The full extent of the cover striking staff will provide has yet to be decided – detailed negotiations will take place between local ambulance bosses and unions ahead of the walkout.

Tina Richardson, Deputy Director of Human Resources and Organisational Development at EMAS said: “NHS pay levels are agreed at a national and not at a local level and are therefore negotiated nationally for NHS employees.

“We recognise that this is a very difficult time for all of our people and want to support them through this challenging period.

“We fully respect the right of NHS staff to take lawful and peaceful industrial action, however we do urge national employer representatives and our trade union colleagues to proactively engage and reach a negotiated settlement to the dispute as quickly as possible.

“During this period of the dispute, we will do all we can to minimise the impact on our patients’ safety and will continue to work very closely with our Trade Union colleagues, regional service providers and NHS Employers and carry on supporting the wellbeing of our staff.”