Ambulance workers in Burnham-On-Sea look set to join four days of further strikes as the nationwide dispute over pay, jobs and conditions continues.
Almost 3,500 GMB Union ambulance workers across three south coast trusts have this week announced four new strike dates.
Paramedics, emergency care assistants, call handlers and other staff working for South West Ambulance Service – which includes Burnham-On-Sea – plus South Central Ambulance Service and South East Coast Ambulance Service will walk out on the same days as eight NHS trusts across the UK.
The new strike days will be held on February 6th and February 20th, and March 6th and March 20th.
The dates have been announced after talks with the government broke down, with the union saying their members are “angry” and “are done”.
GMB union members voted against the government’s 4% pay rise, saying it was “another massive real terms pay cut.”
Rachel Harrison, GMB national secretary, said last night: “Our message to the government is clear – talk pay now.”
“Ministers have made things worse by demonising the ambulance workers who provided life and limb cover on strike days – playing political games with their scaremongering.”
“The only way to solve this dispute is a proper pay offer. But it seems the cold, dead hands of Number 10 and 11 Downing Street are stopping this from happening.”
“In the face of government inaction, we are left with no choice but industrial action. GMB ambulance workers are determined, they’re not going to back down. It’s up to this government to get serious on pay. We are waiting.”
On 11 January, around 25,000 ambulance workers across England and Wales went on strike. The Burnham-On-Sea Ambulance Station strike saw a picket line set up, as pictured.
Burnham-On-Sea ambulance staff told Burnham-On-Sea.com they had seen lots of “warm support from local residents” for the latest action.
They stressed that high-priority calls will still be responded to in the area on strike days.
