Jan 09

Ambulance workers will walk out on Wednesday – and I’ll be out on the picket with them

  • 9 January 2023

Our next strike days in the NHS will go ahead on Wednesday 11thJanuary and Monday 23rd January, despite last minute talks between UNISON, other health unions and the secretary of state for health and social care.

Our head of health, Sara Gorton, was at the meeting and was interviewed by the press immediately afterwards. Sara explained how the government has moved from the position they’ve held for months, but there was a lack of clarity or concrete proposals and so our strike on Wednesday is still on.

Of course, our industrial action could have been avoided entirely if the government had opened up pay negotiations with us, and other health unions, months ago. But their continued refusal had led us to our first round of industrial action in December.

Despite almost daily news coverage of the problems in the NHS and the harm this is causing to patients, the Prime Minister and his government are failing to get to grips with this crisis and the cost of living crisis. They’re also failing to respond to the needs of hardworking NHS staff, by coming up with no solution to this dispute. And that’s being generous of me.

But with your action, perhaps they’re starting to get it. We are clear, that until they deliver a pay boost for NHS workers for 2022/23, this dispute will not be resolved.

Ambulance workers in five regions will walk out on Wednesday and I’ll be out on the picket lines to show striking health workers that UNISON is 100% behind them. And here’s how you can show your support too. Our guide gives you five quick ways you can show your solidarity to striking ambulance workers.

Finally, it’s important to remember that it’s our union’s commitment to fighting for decent public services across the UK, and for better working lives for the people who deliver them, that drives our work and collective action. Without a well-paid, valued and supported workforce, the NHS cannot deliver the quality of care that patients need. Our members’ livelihoods, and the future of our NHS, are always worth fighting for.

The article Ambulance workers will walk out on Wednesday – and I’ll be out on the picket with them first appeared on the UNISON National site.