Paramedics, Emergency Medical Technicians, call handlers and other NHS staff working in the East of England are set to walk out. The East of England Ambulance Service Trust (EEAST) is the only ambulance service not to have been on strike in the recent round of industrial action.

Now almost 1,000 EEAST workers have voted to strike in an ongoing dispute over pay. The GMB union said 86 per cent of its members at the EEAST who took part in a ballot said yes to the move - a date for the strike action has yet to be decided.

Ashley Forster, GMB East of England Organiser, has sad that the union members in the region have "had enough" and said they feel "disrespected" by the government. They said: "Our members in the East of England Ambulance Trust were hit hard by the pandemic – they've consistently put the public before themselves, but they’ve had enough.

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“This vote in favour of industrial action is a direct response to the disrespect this Government has shown them on pay. The pandemic plus the cost-of-living crisis means they have no choice.

"Wales and Scotland have received revised improved pay offers from their devolved Governments and we want Steve Barclay to come back to the table to offer our members something that will ease this cost-of-living crisis and help retain highly skilled staff leaving the service with burnout. Life and limb cover will be negotiated with the the Union and EEAS Trust management and strike days will be decided with the ambulance rep committee over the coming days.

"East of England was the only ambulance trust in the country not to have been on strike – that will now change. Ministers in England don't seem to want to listen, leaving NHS workers and the English public being treated like second class citizens. It's simple - talk pay now and make a decent offer for this year. Our members and the public are waiting."

The EEAST has said they are committed to working with unions. A spokesperson said: “We are aware that members of the GMB union have voted in favour in industrial action over the national issue of pay.

"We understand the strength of feeling behind the concerns colleagues have around this issue and we are committed to working with our unions to improve working lives at our service.”

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