ALMOST 1,000 workers from West Midlands Ambulance Service are on strike today (Monday).
Paramedics, emergency care assistants, call handlers and other staff across the region have walked out and will be taking the industrial action until 11.59pm.
Workers voted to strike over the Government’s four per cent pay award which union bosses say is ‘another massive real terms pay cut’.
Stuart Richards, GMB Senior Organiser, said: “West Midlands ambulance workers’ message is clear – the Government must talk pay now.
“While the NHS crumbles around our ears – despite ambulance workers desperate efforts – we have been waiting two weeks today for another meeting with Ministers.
“Instead of working to solve the problems, this Government has demonised the ambulance workers who provided life and limb cover on strike days.
“The only way to solve this dispute is a proper pay offer. We are waiting.”
During previous strikes ambulance crews responded to calls where there was a threat to life such as cardiac arrests and where a crew request immediate back up at the scene of a case.
Last week, a Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: “Ambulance workers do an incredible job and it is disappointing some union members are going ahead with further strikes at a time when the NHS is already under huge pressure from Covid, flu and tackling the backlog.
“The Health and Social Care Secretary is continuing to have constructive discussions with unions about the 2023/24 pay review process and what is affordable and fair, including wider concerns around the cost of living, pay, conditions and workload.”
