Tuesday, January 17, 2023

UK
Ambulance workers expected to announce further strike dates, Sky News understands



Mon, 16 January 2023 


The GMB union is expected to announce further ambulance worker strike dates this Wednesday, Sky News understands.

Union bosses will announce the outcome of today's ambulance committee meeting in a long-running dispute over pay, jobs and conditions, at 1pm on Wednesday, Sky News can reveal.

Up to six more dates are being discussed after talks with Health Secretary Steve Barclay last week broke down.

GMB members voted against the government's 4% pay rise, saying it was "another massive real terms pay cut".

Lib Whitfield, from GMB, said: "There's a huge amount of anger from our members working in the ambulance service and from the representatives that Steve Barclay is not taking this seriously.

"Our members are saving lives day in, day out, and that is actually at risk because of the cuts they've made to the service. Our members will not back down in this fight and they need Steve Barclay to actually take them seriously."

GMB members at the meeting were said to be "very angry", especially over the anti-strikes bill being debated in parliament today, which will mean key industries will have to legally ensure minimum service levels during walk-outs.

A strike planned by GMB ambulance workers for 28 December was suspended after "incredible" public support during industrial action by the union on 21 December.

But last Wednesday, about 25,000 ambulance workers across England and Wales went on strike.

Staggered walkouts by paramedics, call handlers, drivers and technicians from the Unison and GMB unions took place over a 24-hour period.

NHS England figures released last week show average ambulance response times in England last month were the longest on record.

In December, the average response time for ambulances dealing with the most urgent incidents - defined as calls from people with life-threatening illnesses or injuries - was 10 minutes and 57 seconds. 

The target is seven minutes.

Members of the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) across England are set to walk out on Wednesday and Thursday after their first ever strike before Christmas.

The union warned if progress is not made in negotiations by the end of January, the next set of strikes will include all eligible members in England for the first time.

Teachers and rail workers are also in talks with the government over pay as ministers hope to end strike action by their unions.

Ministers have continued to insist pay claims are unaffordable and are continuing to say wage rises should be decided by pay review bodies, made up of experts in their field and staff.

Sunak Blasted For 'Demonising' Ambulance Workers To Justify Strike Crackdown

The GMB union says 999 staff feel "utterly betrayed" as government pushes for anti-strike legislation.


Graeme Demianyk
13/01/2023


Ambulance paramedics on the picket line.
ANDREW AITCHISON VIA GETTY IMAGES

Angry ambulance workers have accused ministers of “demonising” emergency service staff as the government attempts to bring in new anti-strike laws.

In a letter to the prime minister, paramedics and other members of the GMB union said they were “appalled” at some of the statements from Rishi Sunak’s government in recent days and that “targeting ambulance workers for a deliberate attack is a disgrace”.

It reads: “We feel utterly betrayed by the way your government has singled out ambulance workers as part of a crude attempt to remove our right to strike.

“You and your ministers should be ashamed of the way you have tried to paint us as uncaring about safety standards – nothing could be further from the truth.”

Another ambulance staff strike is due to be held on January 23, following a walkout on Wednesday of 25,000 workers, and more action is being planned.

Business secretary Grant Shapps has claimed ambulance workers are putting lives at risk by not agreeing to so-called minimum service levels during recent industrial action.

The letter went on to say it was not the fault of ambulance workers that the service is in crisis, and that delays were happening months before the strikes.

It added: “NHS workers like us got the country through the pandemic and we’re doing our very best to deal with the crisis in our NHS now, something your government has presided over and should take responsibility for.

“We want a constructive relationship with government to talk about pay and seriously improve conditions throughout the ambulance service.

“But you are making us and our ambulance colleagues feel demonised. Please talk to us and our unions. And stop attacking us now.”

New anti-strike laws are designed to make industrial action illegal if trade unions refuse to provide the minimum level of service.

It is a response to the crippling wave of strikes that is gripping the UK, as nurses, ambulance staff and rail workers all walk out in a dispute with the government over pay and working conditions.

New figures show that ambulance response times and A&E waits are now the worst on record.

The average response time in December for category one calls — defined as life-threatening illness or injuries such as cardiac or respiratory arrest — was 10 minutes and 57 seconds.

It is set against a target of seven minutes and marks the worst performance on record.

For category two calls, which can include heart attacks and strokes, average response times reached an hour and a half — more than 50% higher than the previous record high.

The figures for NHS England also show that a record 54,532 people waited more than 12 hours waiting to be admitted to A&E after being referred.

Meanwhile, the proportion of patients seen within the target timeframe of four hours fell to a record low of 65% in December.

The figures lay bare the acute pressures the NHS is facing this winter, as the health service deals with a surge in flu cases and a near record number of 111 calls.


Hospital calls on 'support from family and friends' during strikes

Kieran Bell
Mon, 16 January 2023

Dorset County Hospital (DCH) has called on 'additional support from family and friends' during planned strike action

Dorset County Hospital (DCH) has called on 'additional support from family and friends' during planned strike action by nurses this week.

Picket lines will be at the entrance to the Williams Avenue hospital on Wednesday and Thursday from 7am to 7pm as a dispute with the Government over pay and conditions rages on.

The strike has been organised by the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) and follows industrial action last month in which ambulance workers staged a 24-hour walkout in Weymouth.

It comes as four minor injury units in Dorset are set to close on the scheduled strike days.

DCH said that it will be making sure it has 'adequate staffing levels to keep patients safe' during the two days.

It has even called on help from friends and family to help those working in the hospital, who will be focusing on clinical care.

"Relatives and friends of patients in hospital will be able to visit general inpatient wards at any time between 10am and 8pm during Wednesday and Thursday, rather than being restricted to the usual ward visiting hours," DCH said.

"While all our wards will be safely staffed during the industrial action, additional support from families and friends would be welcomed during this time so that our nursing staff can focus on clinical care - for example, to assist with mealtimes."

It added that it will be 'continuing to run as many of our services as possible' during the strikes, and urged people to attend hospital appointments as planned unless they hear from the hospital directly.

"Any patients affected will be contacted by us. Please do check your voicemail before attending your appointment as we may leave a message if we are unable to reach you," said DCH.

The Dorchester hospital also said it will be seeking help in getting people home from hospital to continue their recovery.

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