North West Ambulance Service staff contemplate strike action as part of national pay dispute

Paramedics working for North West Ambulance Service are gearing up to take part in a 48-hour strike across the NHS in England and Northern Ireland this month.

Trade union GMB warns that more stoppages are ‘inevitable’ if health secretary Jeremy Hunt ‘continues to refuse’ to hold discussions to settle the ongoing pay dispute.

GMB members in the ambulance service in England and Northern Ireland are considering a 48-hour continuous strike from noon on January 29, along with other health unions, as industrial action is stepped up.

A members’ ballot revealed ‘overwhelming support’ for action against the government and employers’ pay policies. The pay offer for NHS staff in England is an unconsolidated 1% pay award in 2014, restricted to staff not eligible for incremental progression and the same approach in 2015. GMB says this goes against the recommendation of the independent NHS Pay Review Body for a 1% consolidated pay rise for all staff.

Steve Rice, GMB ambulance chair, said: “I have worked for the ambulance service for almost four decades and in this time I have worked under 17 secretaries of state for health.

“Never have I experienced staff morale at such a breaking point and that is why the GMB is calling an urgent GMB ambulance meeting to discuss the details of a potential two-day stoppage across the ambulance service. Escalation is always a last resort but in the absence of any real talks from government or employers we have nowhere else to go.

“Our A&Es are in a crisis and we have taken the responsible position by not striking over Christmas. This goodwill will not continue in the new year. GMB members expect the current Secretary of State for Health to engage in meaningful talks to settle this dispute.

“NHS staff are the backbone of the NHS and whilst the pay recommendation by the independent pay review body didn’t go far enough it cannot be just dismissed by the Secretary State for Health.”

GMB members took part in national NHS strike action on October 13 and November 24. The four-hour stoppages were followed by action short of a strike with an overtime ban in the ambulance service and other NHS employees working to their contracted hours.