Paramedics in Yorkshire to go on strike

11:00am Tuesday 19th March 2013 in News Photograph of the Author By Richard Catton, richard.catton@thepress.co.uk

PARAMEDICS in Yorkshire have voted to hold a one-day strike after ambulance bosses derecognised their union in a row over working conditions.

The 450 members of the Unite union have voted to take industrial action on April 2, it was confirmed yesterday, after Yorkshire Ambulance Service (YAS) announced last month that it no longer recognised the union. A continuous overtime ban will also come into force at 6am on March 26.

Unite regional officer Terry Cunliffe said: “Unite calls for the management to open constructive negotiations in the run-up to April 2. This is a final window of opportunity for the Trust to resolve this situation for the benefit of the Yorkshire public.

“The management has been trying to silence Unite after it raised legitimate concerns over patient safety that could flow from the shake-up of ambulance services in the next five years.”

Unite said 61.8 per cent of its YAS members voted in favour of strike action, with 38.2 voting against. Eighty-three per cent voted in favour of industrial action, short of a strike, and 17 per cent against.

The two organisations fell out over proposals by the Trust to introduce the role of emergency care assistants (ECAs) to work alongside more highly-trained paramedics.

Unite said the ECA staff would have only six weeks training, while a paramedic undergoes a two-year degree course.

Mr Cunliffe said: “The hardline management has responded by derecognising Unite and twice rejecting our attempts to take this dispute to Acas and to discuss the implications of industrial action.”

Stephen Moir, deputy chief executive at Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust, said: “We would like to reassure members of the public that the changes we are introducing to our A&E workforce will enable us to continue to deliver a high-quality and responsive service to patients who will always remain our top priority.

“We would also like to provide assurance that the Trust has plans in place to avoid any disruption to patient care if Unite members decide to go ahead with the industrial action they have outlined today.”

Comments(15)

Big Bad Wolf says...
11:18am Tue 19 Mar 13

So only 17% of the Unite union want to strike but it is still going ahead??

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Oncebitten says...
11:40am Tue 19 Mar 13

Big Bad Wolf wrote:
So only 17% of the Unite union want to strike but it is still going ahead??
Unite said 61.8 per cent of its YAS members voted in favour of strike action, with 38.2 voting against. Eighty-three per cent voted in favour of industrial action, short of a strike, and 17 per cent against.


Think you may need to re-read, unless I've read it wrong :-)

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Big Bad Wolf says...
11:50am Tue 19 Mar 13

Eighty-three per cent voted in favour of industrial action, short of a strike,

It was the "short of a strike" part that I referred to.... Am I missing something?

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Andy1675 says...
12:02pm Tue 19 Mar 13

This is a sad read. I'm frustrated that Yorkshire Ambulance is being managed at the top by individuals who clearly should not be in post. They display poor leadership and decision making skills - behaving defensively when their decisions are questioned. It's pathetic. I look forward to some national news coverage, come on Channel 4 News!!

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matroom says...
12:26pm Tue 19 Mar 13

Appauling. Clarkson had the right idea.

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Maquis says...
1:00pm Tue 19 Mar 13

What are they actually striking about? Is is just the overtime ban?

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powerwatt says...
1:38pm Tue 19 Mar 13

It should be pointed out this is only unite union. Most ambulance staff are with unison. So won't have much of an impact

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Elephant says...
1:50pm Tue 19 Mar 13

It's only 400 or so out of 10,000 staff - so everyone keep calm and carry on.

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E=MC^2 says...
2:39pm Tue 19 Mar 13

Front line services are being deskilled by so called management. The question is whether you would rather your medical emergency was dealt with by someone with 6 weeks training or 2 years . If you prefer the latter then support the ambulance workers and their union for bringing this to the publics attention..

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Maquis says...
2:43pm Tue 19 Mar 13

E=MC^2 wrote:
Front line services are being deskilled by so called management. The question is whether you would rather your medical emergency was dealt with by someone with 6 weeks training or 2 years . If you prefer the latter then support the ambulance workers and their union for bringing this to the publics attention..
Ah I see.
I wont offer an opinion on this as I dont know all of the facts, i.e. are they only going to be used alongside 2 year trained workers, or if they are working alone.

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mrcharly says...
4:19pm Tue 19 Mar 13

I think youth trainees should replace the managers and accountants; they only need 2 weeks training, after all.

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anistasia says...
5:32pm Tue 19 Mar 13

I have just used the emergency ambulance service good quick friendly service.the people on the front knows what's best.is this a case of too many chiefs and not enough Indians.management not knowing what's going on in the real world paper fillers and pen pushers.I hope the action the ambulance men are taking gets them what they want.it does not matter if it's over wages or hours .give these people all the backing go for them or lose them.

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Guy Fawkes says...
5:56pm Tue 19 Mar 13

Unite said 61.8 per cent of its YAS members voted in favour of strike action, with 38.2 voting against.


Of its members, or of those who voted? I very much doubt if there was a 100% turnout, and of course that is the crucial figure for establishing what proportion of members eligible to vote actually support the strike.

Low turnouts in the past have resulted in a very small proportion of the membership dragging the rest out on strike against their wishes. It happened frequently in the union I used to be a member of. IMO the way to deal with this is to pass a law which says that any union member who fails to take part in a strike ballot is automatically expelled from the union and is not eligible to re-join for another five years. That would mean that members who valued the positive things that unions do (principally representing their members in bullying and sham disciplinary cases) but did not support stupid strikes that a minority of rabble rousers were trying to perpetrate would be motivated actually to vote in these ballots, because they wouldn't want to lose their membership.

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yorkie39 says...
10:33pm Tue 19 Mar 13

I would rather have two qualified paramedics come to my rescue should i need them than one and a unqualified driver.Also i think it is typical of the kind of contempt employers now have for workers rights and their attempts to crush the unions.i.e.no longer recognize the union if they make waves and try to stand up for workers pay and conditions/safe working practices. The tolpuddle martyrs will be 'turning in their graves' if they knew the low vote turnout ,employers will use this as an excuse to do what ever they want.Sack the numerous layers of management and keep the shop floor workers.You have all been warned !!!

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eboracum99 says...
9:27am Wed 20 Mar 13

Do not forget that Della (£22,000.00 of public money for a shower in her office) Canning is in charge of Yorkshire Ambulance service - enough said!

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