Thousands of Welsh Ambulance workers will go on strike again today after refusing a new pay offer from the Welsh Government. Both GMB union members and Unite union members rejected the pay offer and will continue their strike action on Monday.
Around 1,500 members of GMB will join 10,000 Unite ambulance staff across Wales and England today. The Welsh Government offered a pay increase of 1.5% and a one-off payment equivalent to a further 1.5% of salary - this is on top of a 4.5% increase which has already been awarded. Health minister Elunedd Morgan said it was their final pay offer. You can read about the full details of the pay offer here.
The strikes should not have an impact on 999 life-threatening calls - category one and includes things like cardiac arrests - and will only impact patients that are considered in a non life-threatening situation. Patients who need critical treatment such as cancer care will also be transported, the BBC reports.
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Category two calls - which are considered to be less urgent and include some strokes and major burns - may experience longer waiting times than usual. Three days of strike action is planned by Unite members while GMB members will strike on Monday.
The Welsh Ambulance service is urging people to only call 999 over the next three days - Monday 20 to Wednesday 22 - if there is a genuine threat to life. Their website advises: "Please make sure you plan ahead and stock up on your prescription medicines, look after yourself, friends, neighbours and family, and only call 999 (or 111) when there is a genuine need to do so."
Industrial action planned for February 6 was called off earlier this month to allow union members to partake in a ballot. Ahead of that planned strike action, it was reported that unions were being strict with the derogation process (where staff are delegated to maintain life-saving services.) You can read more about that here.
Read next:
- Teachers strike back on as union rejects renewed pay offer from Welsh Government
- Women over 40 and single people won't get IVF treatment through the NHS in Wales in future plans
- Plaid Cymru wants to raise tax for everyone in Wales to fund NHS pay rises
- Cancer waiting times are worse than ever in Wales
- The full details of the 7% pay rise offer made to NHS workers in Wales to end the strikes
