NHS Ambulance (UNISON) Strike Calendar

• Talks between ministers and unions aimed at resolving NHS strikes have made little progress
• Unions have described the meetings as "a missed opportunity" and "bitterly disappointing"
• Discussions over pay took place, but no "tangible concessions" were made to call off the ambulance strikes
• A government source described the talks as useful and constructive
• Ministers are also meeting with teaching and rail unions to avert further industrial action
• The formal agenda of the talks was next year's pay settlements, and not expected to lead to an immediate breakthrough for the current pay disputes
• Unions are calling for pay rises to keep up with the rising cost of living, while ministers say any offer must be "affordable"
• Prime Minister Rishi Sunak did not deny that his government could follow Wales by offering a one-off payment to public sector workers to ease the cost of living
• The government suggested that any one-off payments would have to be based on "productivity savings"
• Union members are angry with the suggestion and said that working 18 hour shifts is not productive
• The government said it is "not seeking to place extra burdens on NHS staff" but wants to make their work "easier and simpler"
• Health Secretary Steve Barclay requested further discussions on ideas to make the health service work better and save staff time, that could unlock additional funding.

Ambulance workers in five regions in England will go on strike for two 24-hour periods in January over pay and staffing issues. The strikes, organized by the union UNISON, are an escalation of a previous strike that took place on Wednesday. The strikes will involve all ambulance employees, not just emergency response crews. UNISON has warned that the strikes may be escalated further if the government does not negotiate improvements to National Health Service pay. The union is also planning to hold a vote in the spring on whether to strike at ten English National Health Service trusts and the Welsh Ambulance Service.