Ambulance staff and other healthcare workers, including some nurses, will go on strike across England on March 8 after they escalated their dispute over their wages, union Unison announced on Wednesday.
Members of the labor group that represents the union will back the new work stoppage after accusing the government of failing to conduct ‘adequate negotiations’ with health unions to try to resolve the dispute they have faced since last year .
The announcement comes after Chief Health Officer Steve Barclay prepared to meet the College of Nursing (RCN), after yesterday they announced new negotiations and called off the planned 48-hour work stoppage for the next week.
Unison said today that paramedics, cleaners, porters and paramedics will support the measure next month.
Unison general secretary Christina McAnea said today that ‘unfortunately for patients, staff and everyone who cares about the NHS, the strikes continue’.
He recalled that “the whole NHS team is fully committed to standing firm for better patient care”.
In addition to this newly announced strike, the Alef union today announced that London Underground drivers will go on strike on March 15 to protest against their working conditions and pensions, as announced on Wednesday by the union which groups the Aslef union.