Scottish Ambulance Service to strike in November as GMB union slams Scottish health secretary Humza Yousaf
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Scottish Ambulance Service staff have confirmed they will stage a 26 hour walk out from November 28 at 06.00 until the next day at 07.59.
The GMB Scotland confirmed the time and dates today amid an ongoing stand-off over pay after 89 per cent of members were balloted and backed strikes this month.
Urgent meetings are being sought with ambulance bosses to ensure appropriate staffing levels for critical care.
The move will heavily add to the headaches faced by health secretary Humza Yousaf who pleaded that “I don't have more money” for pay deals after twin announcements that nurses would also go on strike this winter over pay and conditions.
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Mr Yousaf tried to blame the UK Government for the issues but GMB Scotland organiser Karen Leonard launched a stinging attack on him saying he cannot “can’t stick his fingers in his ears and hope workers will go away.”
'Strikes are a direct response to the Scottish Government'
She said: “These strikes are a direct response to the Scottish Government who have failed to give key, frontline workers the pay rise that they deserve and who have overseen years of managed decline in the health services that so many rely on.
“Staff are rightly angry with how they’re being treated. They have been overlooked, overworked, undervalued and underpaid. The workforce is being expected to fill more and more gaps in service provision. With the current offer being well below inflation, that means they’re being expected to do more for less.
“This isn’t sustainable for our members, for those receiving care, or for a health service that’s supposed to be fit for the 21st century. You can’t have a world class health service without recruiting and retaining high quality staff with the skills to care for people.”
She added: “Humza Yousaf has warned of strike action in health services. But since GMB’s members announced their mandate for strike, he has done nothing to prevent it going ahead. He has failed to come back with the significantly improved offer he promised. He has put off meeting with our members to discuss an offer. He has been totally missing.
“Humza Yousaf can’t stick his fingers in his ears and hope workers will go away. He has to meet with them. After what they’ve been through, health workers are tired of warm words. Without a significantly improved offer, strike action is inevitable.”
