Around 750 paramedics and other workers at the North East Ambulance Service could strike over the Goverment's offer of a four per cent pay rise - which union GMB describes as "yet another massive real terms pay cut".
The NHS staff have followed their counterparts in Yorkshire by voting strongly in favour of a formal strike ballot - more than 90% of voters in a consultative poll backed the move. This could see walkouts before the end of the year.
Formal dates for a strike ballot will be announced in the coming days.