'The public is behind us on this': Striking ambulance workers promise action will continue

Staff again braved the high winds and cold weather on Friday for another day of strikes over the long-running pay disputes.

The latest day of action comes as the Government and union bosses fail to come to acceptable terms over increased pay conditions and quality of life for ambulance staff.

Ambulance staff gathered outside the Patient Transport Service hub on Monroe Park Industrial Estate, Wolverhampton, and the ambulance hub on Burton Road, Dudley, to show their support for the strike.

Shaun Caswell-Cox, a paramedic technician with West Midlands Ambulance Service said: "The strikes are still going really well. The public has been showing their support for what we are doing, they are honking their horns and waving.

"As far as I'm aware the Government has been silent, they are refusing to meet and come to acceptable terms. Obviously, we didn't want to do this and this is a last resort, but at the end of the day we should be paid fairly for the job that we do."

Mr Caswell-Cox continued: "I know someone who works at a fast food restaurant and he earns almost what I earn really, it's actually about three-quarters of what I make, which is really disheartening.

"If I can go to another job, that would be less stressful and pays the same, where is the incentive to continue what I'm doing?"

Staff members at the Dudley Ambulance Hub were among those who walked out over the disputes, with over 20 staff members taking to the streets to show their support.

Sally Husselbee, emergency medical technician for West Midlands Ambulance Service, said: "The turnout here has been amazing, we have an amazing amount of support from both the staff and the public.

"I think that what this is showing is that this is working, we are getting more members who are joining the line and it shows that we have that support behind us."

Striking staff members cheered as news came down that trade union, Unison, voted to join the strikes – adding potentially thousands of additional strikers to future picket lines.

Ms Husselbee continued: "The additional strikers mean that we can escalate on future action, it means that we can make more of an impact and it means that we can be heard."

Unison has commented on joining the strikes, saying that staff at another four English ambulance services, and five NHS organisations, including NHS Blood and Transplant, will now be able to strike in a "significant escalation" of the dispute.

Unison General secretary Christina McAnea said: "It's time the Prime Minister ditched his do-nothing strategy for dealing with escalating strikes across the NHS.

"Health staff want to go back to work, and the public wants an NHS capable of delivering quality care. The Prime Minister must invite the unions into Downing Street and start the genuine pay talks that could end this damaging dispute."

The vote means that the 12,000 staff members involved in the re-ballot process can now take part in the ongoing disputes, joining colleagues from ambulance services in London, Yorkshire, the North East, North West and South West.