Ambulance strikes 2023: Paramedics and staff to walk out across Northamptonshire in February

Ambulance staff will strike again in February and March 2023, including across Northamptonshire, as the pay dispute with the Government continues.

Members from GMB and Unite will walk out on Monday (February 6), as well as on February 20, March 6 and March 20.

This follows strike action from both unions at the end of the last year and in January 2023, as they battle with the Government to get what they view as a fair pay rise.

What unions have said

Rachel Harrison GMB national secretary, previously said: “GMB’s ambulance workers are angry. In their own words ‘they are done’.

“Our message to the Government is clear - talk pay now.

“Ministers have made things worse by demonising the ambulance workers who provided life and limb cover on strike days.

“The only way to solve this dispute is a proper pay offer.

“In the face of Government inaction, we are left with no choice but industrial action.

“GMB ambulance workers are determined, they’re not going to back down.

“It’s up to this Government to get serious on pay. We are waiting.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham added: “Rather than act to protect the NHS and negotiate an end to the dispute, the Government has disgracefully chosen to demonise ambulance workers. Ministers are deliberately misleading the public about the life and limb cover and who is to blame for excessive deaths.“Our members faithfully provide life and limb cover on strike days and it’s not the unions who are not providing minimum service levels.

“It’s this Government’s disastrous handling of the NHS that has brought it to breaking point, and as crisis piles on crisis, the prime minister is seen to be washing his hands of the dispute. What a disgrace. What an abdication of leadership.”

What EMAS has said

Ben Holdaway, Director of Operations at EMAS said: “Previous industrial action days at EMAS have been immensely challenging, and we expect the same again on Monday and Tuesday.

“We continue to work closely with trade union colleagues, and NHS and blue-light service providers across the region to do all we can to minimise the impact on patient safety.

“However, we anticipate that during action there will be fewer ambulances available and therefore our response to our patients will, inevitably, be much slower on the day.

“As we head towards the weekend, the NHS remains open and people are asked not to store up their health conditions or soldier on if they become unwell or injured – seek early advice from your local pharmacist, NHS111 Online, via your GP or Urgent Treatment Centre; and if you have a long-term condition, ensure you continue to take your routine medication as advised by your GP.

“During industrial action we will continue to carefully assess and prioritise an ambulance response for those who need it most.

“It is important that the public use services wisely and make their own way to a treatment centre or hospital if safe to do so; this allows us to send our ambulances with life-saving equipment and clinicians on board to people who really need them.”

GMB members will strike from 6am on Monday February 6 to 8am on Tuesday February 7.

Unit members will strike from 12.01am to 11.59pm on Monday February 6.