Patients suffering from a heart attack or stroke are not guaranteed an emergency number in parts of the UK today as thousands of ambulance workers go on strike again amid longstanding wage and staff disputes.
The GMB said more than 11,000 ambulance workers in England and Wales would be made redundant, including paramedics, ambulance assistants and attendants. Unite ambulance workers are also on strike today and Wednesday in parts of the country.
The Northwest Ambulance Service has advised staff that only category 1999 calls, such as B. cardiac arrest, GMB members are exempt from union action. There are no exceptions for emergency calls such as suspected heart attack and stroke, defined as category 2.
Rachel Harrison, GMB National Secretary, said: “Ambulance workers across England and Wales went on full strike today because this government is turning a blind eye. More than a month has passed since the government had any meaningful dialogue. They disappear and refuse to talk about wages.
“There is a personnel crisis in the National Health Service. Solving the wage problem is critical if we are to prevent dedicated healthcare professionals from leaving the profession. Public ambulance workers. The government should listen to them and talk about wages now.
NHS leaders said they were “deeply concerned” by continued union action, but there was no sign of the government’s willingness to restart collective bargaining negotiations this year.
Sir Julian Hartley, chief executive of NHS Providers, said: “NHS leaders are understandably concerned about another day of strikes by thousands of paramedics, just weeks after coordinated strikes by nurses and paramedics in early February. They are working hard to keep disruptions to patient care to a minimum, and while careful plans have been made, some disruptions are unavoidable, including longer than usual waiting times for ambulances.
“And with the Junior Physicians union action vote ending tomorrow, Trust leaders have a very anxious wait as to whether a full-blown 72-hour strike will take place in March without emergency care from junior doctors, if the vote is successful. Nobody wants these strikes to happen, not even the employees who take part in them.
“Trust leaders once called on the government to sit down with the unions to discuss pay for this fiscal year. This is the only way to prevent further strikes.”
It has now been revealed that striking nurses are being paid 60% more than during previous Royal College of Nursing (RCN) strikes. The RCN also said it had received £250,000 in donations from the public since the start of the wage hike strike in December.
The union raises the daily picket rate from £50 to £80. March 1.
The net daily wage for a nurse with an average salary of £36,000 is approximately £135 based on a four day work week.
An ordinary nurse who was present for all six days of the strike plus two in March could theoretically claim £540 as a strike but lost £1,080.
RCN said the move was designed to bolster the resolve of nurses and undermine the government’s strategy of “waiting out strikes, not negotiating.”
Health and Human Services Minister Steve Barclay said: “Strikes are of no interest to anyone and will only lead to a further deterioration in the situation of patients, despite the measures taken. It is time for unions to engage constructively in the 2023-24 Pay Review Group process and to cancel strikes so we can move forward and address Covid-related issues.
“I have made it clear that I want to continue talking to unions about what is fair and affordable for the coming fiscal year, as well as broader concerns about conditions and workload, so that we can make the NHS a better place to work. ”
Source: I News
I’m Raymond Molina, a professional writer and journalist with over 5 years of experience in the media industry. I currently work for 24 News Reporters, where I write for the health section of their news website. In my role, I am responsible for researching and writing stories on current health trends and issues. My articles are often seen as thought-provoking pieces that provide valuable insight into the state of society’s wellbeing.