Members of Unite, the UK’s leading union, employed by ambulance trusts in the South East will take strike action tomorrow (Tuesday 9 May) as the union escalates its industrial action in the dispute over pay.

South East ambulance strike

Unite’s members employed at both South Central Ambulance Service NHS Trust and South East Coast Ambulance Service NHS Trust will strike from 12pm until 10pm on Tuesday 9 May.

Last month Unite’s members employed in the NHS in England rejected the government’s offer of a lump sum cash payment for 2022/23 and a below inflation increase of five per cent for 2023/24.

Re-open negotiations

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “The government must re-open negotiations to ensure that a proper wage offer is made to NHS workers. We have always said that a non-consolidated lump sum for 22/23 would not cut it. So it has turned out. The current offer does nothing to resolve the recruitment and retention crisis crippling the NHS.”

“The strike action by our South East ambulance workers is part of Unite’s escalation strategy to exert greater pressure on the government.”

Escalation strategy 

The renewed strike action is part of Unite’s strategy to increase the pressure on the government to re-open the negotiations to ensure that NHS workers get a fair pay increase. The union is in the process of undertaking a series of industrial action ballots to expand the number of workers able to take industrial action and exert further pressure.

 Picket lines will be in place at Portsmouth PTS Base, Eastern Road, PO3 6EJ and Thamesside Ambulance Station, Cold Harbour Road, Northfleet, Kent, DA11 8NT

Notes to editors

For media enquiries ONLY please contact Unite senior communications officer Barckley Sumner on 07802 329235 or 0203 371 2067.

Email: [email protected]

Unite is the UK and Ireland’s leading union fighting to protect and advance jobs, pay and conditions for members working across all sectors of the economy. The general secretary is Sharon Graham.