Over 1000 unite members in the Welsh Ambulance Service will tomorrow (Thursday) commence the first of their two 24-hour strikes taking place on the 19th & 23rd January.  

Ambulance workers will join 23 picket lines across Wales in their fight to prevent the Welsh NHS from collapse.

Unite members voted by a margin of 88 per cent to strike over the well below inflation pay offer which has escalated the staffing crisis engulfing the Welsh NHS.

As is usual in these circumstances, Unite has agreed emergency ‘life and limb’ cover provisions with the Trust.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Unite stands 100 percent behind our Welsh Ambulance members who are striking to save our NHS. These workers are on the NHS frontline every day, saving lives and doing everything they can to protect the public.

Unfortunately the NHS staffing crisis is making their job increasingly difficult, they see first-hand how our NHS is collapsing. A decent consolidated pay increase is the only way to improve NHS recruitment and relieve the crippling pressure on our ambulance services. The recent proposal from Welsh Government of a one off payment simply does not cut it with our members.

Although the roots of this dispute may lie in Westminster, the only way of stopping further strikes is for Welsh Government to put a cost of living salary increase on the table”. 

Unite Wales regional officer Richard Munn said: “Ambulance workers across Wales have had enough. They are not willing to sit back and see the vital lifesaving service that they provide continue to be driven into the ground.

The stress on our members builds every day.  Another below inflation pay rise is the final straw.  Devaluing pay every year whilst the ambulance service staff are faced with more and more pressure has resulted in the current strike action.  This strike is overwhelmingly the will of our members and we need the Welsh and UK Governments to take this incredibly seriously.

We accept that Welsh Government have a desire to resolve this dispute but their current proposals are clearly not enough to end this dispute”.

ENDS

Notes to editors:

A list of Picket lines that will be operating across Wales is available here

Unite is Britain and Ireland’s largest trade union with over 1.4 million members working across all sectors of the economy. The General Secretary is Sharon Graham.

Twitter: @unitewales Facebook: UniteWales Web:www.unitetheunion.org