Around 1,500 more Welsh Ambulance Service staff will strike on Monday after a Welsh Government pay offer was rejected. 66% of GMB union members rejected the offer, the union said.
The 1,500 workers will now join 10,000 other ambulance workers from across Wales and England on strike on Monday. The government offer, which amounted to an average 5.5 per cent pay rise and a 1.5 per cent one-off bonus payment, saw an extra three per cent added to the existing deal pay packet - only half of which would be consolidated in next year’s discussions, GMB said.
GMB staff will be joined on the picket line by Unite colleagues who are holding a three-day walk out after their members also rejected their pay offer this week. The Welsh Government offered Unite members a pay increase of 1.5% and a one-off payment equivalent to a further 1.5% of their salaries. Unison is re-balloting members after failing to win a mandate for strike action last year.
Read more: The full details of the 7% pay rise offer made to NHS workers in Wales to end the strikes
Nathan Holman, GMB Welsh NHS lead, said the offer was "too low for our members". He asked the UK Government and Secretary of State for Health and Social Care Steve Barclay to "step up and talk pay now".
“This is a clear result and members have had their say on the offer," he said. "We thank Welsh Government for actually entering talks but if this is their final offer it’s too low for our members.
"Now more than ever we need a UK-wide solution to the scourge of low pay that has affected our NHS and ambulance services. The only person who can take responsibility for that is Steve Barclay and it’s time for him to step up and talk pay now. Ambulance workers across England and Wales are waiting.”
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “The Welsh Government has a clear opportunity to stop the upcoming strikes. Instead of the political posturing it has engaged in, now is the time to get round the table and improve the offer.
"Unite members have spoken - the current offer is not acceptable. These workers are living hand-to-mouth. Act now before the strikes escalate further.”
Unite’s lead NHS officer Richard Munn added: “The Welsh Government has promoted the importance of social partnership – the relationship between the unions, employers and government. This social partnership is now being put to the test and talks are needed to try to resolve the dispute.”
You can read what Health Minister said about the Welsh Government's latest offers here. She said: "As a result of discussions we have arrived at a final package of measures which the RCN, RCM, Unison, CSP, GMB, BMA, BAOT and SOR have agreed to put to their members who will ultimately make a decision on whether or not to accept the offer. The reality is that if this offer is rejected we will be unable to make any higher pay offer for 22/23."
Read next:
- The dates teachers are going on strike in Wales next month
- The powerful reasons teachers on the picket line gave for why they are striking
- Teachers strike back on as union rejects renewed pay offer from Welsh Government
- Ambulance workers reject Welsh Government pay offer and are set to keep striking
