More East of England Ambulance Service workers to go on strike after Unison vote

Ambulance staff at the East of England Ambulance Service (EEAST) represented by Unison have voted in favour of a strike.

The announcement marks a significant escalation of a long-running pay and staffing dispute.

Unison, which represents about three-quarters of workers at EEAST, said 87 per cent of those who voted opted to strike.

This month, EEAST staff joined a nationwide dispute over staffing levels and pay for the first time when members of the GMB union voted to walk out.

The ambulance service has reiterated today (Friday) that it understood “the strength of feeling”.

Unison says staff at five NHS organisations, including NHS Blood and Transplant, will also now be able to strike.

The trade union made the announcement following a re-ballot of thousands of health workers.

Unison eastern regional secretary Tim Roberts said: “The public must think the Westminster government is living on another planet.

“They can see how talks in other parts of the UK have lifted the threat of strikes and cannot understand why the prime minister isn’t doing the same.

“East of England ambulance staff don’t want to stop work, and the public wants an NHS capable of delivering quality care.

“The prime minister must roll up his sleeves, invite the unions into Downing Street and start the genuine pay talks that could end this damaging dispute.”

EEAST is the only ambulance service not to have been on strike so far during the latest round of nationwide industrial action.

GMB said its members at EEAST would join national strike action on March 6, but no date has been given for the walk out by Unison.

The vote on Thursday, which was open to 3,000 of 4,000 workers at EEAST, was a re-ballot by Unison and had a turnout of 57 per cent.

Unison failed to win a vote among EEAST staff in December, which it said had been affected by postal strikes.

Repeating its statement following the GMB vote, EEAST said: “We understand the strength of feeling behind the concerns colleagues have around this issue and we are committed to working with our unions to improve working lives at our service.”

Just under 1,000 members of the GMB union at the trust were eligible to vote in its ballot on February 7. It had a turnout of 55.7 per cent, with 86 per cent voting in favour of strike action.

Staff at another three ambulance services — South Central, West Midlands and East Midlands — have also voted to take industrial action in the re-ballot.

Unison general secretary Christina McAnea said: “It’s time the Prime Minister ditched his do nothing strategy for dealing with escalating strikes across the NHS.

“Governments in other parts of the UK know what it takes to resolve disputes. Ministers in Scotland and Wales are talking to health unions and acting to boost pay for NHS staff this year.

“And Holyrood is really showing Westminster up. Health workers in Scotland have had a bigger pay rise this year and are set to get a decent wage increase in April following their Government’s latest offer.

“Sadly, health workers across England have been met with a wall of silence from Number 10. The Prime Minister stubbornly refuses to talk about pay, preferring to subject everyone to many months of disruption.”

Health secretary Steve Barclay has pointed to warnings from the Bank of England against pay increases due to inflation.

He said: “I have held constructive talks with the trade unions on pay and affordability and continue to urge them to call off the strikes.

“It is time for the trade unions to look forward and engage in a constructive dialogue.”

EEAST has 4,000 staff and 800 volunteers, according to the most recent Care Quality Commission report.