UK ambulance workers announce 10 fresh strikes

By Mehmet Solmaz

BIRMINGHAM, England (AA) - As the UK's pay dispute continues, a union representing ambulance workers said their members will stage 10 more strikes in the coming weeks and threatened additional walkouts unless a resolution is reached.

The announcement of fresh strikes came ahead of the latest day of industrial action with the Unite’s ambulance workers set to walk out next Monday.

In a written statement, the union’s general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Rather than act to protect the NHS (National Health Service) and negotiate an end to the dispute, the government has disgracefully chosen to demonize ambulance workers. Ministers are deliberately misleading the public about the life and limb cover and who is to blame for excessive deaths.”

Unite national lead officer Onay Kasab said: “The resolution to this dispute is in the government’s hands. This dispute will only be resolved when it enters into proper negotiations about the current pay dispute."

Ambulance workers will bolster the ranks of their paramedic colleagues with the GMB, a general trade union, which announced that over 10,000 of their members in England and Wales will also strike on the same dates.

Also, on Feb. 6, ambulance workers will strike, joining thousands of nurses who will walk out in what is dubbed as potentially the largest strike in NHS history.

Earlier this week, teachers, train drivers, and nurses also announced new strikes to be staged in February and March.