THOUSANDS of NHS ambulance crew members across the North West will strike this month.

More than 1,600 workers at the North West, North East, and West Midlands ambulance service trusts will strike on Wednesday, December 21, 2022, their union, Unite announced today, Tuesday, December 6.

Unite says that the action is a “stark warning” to the government that it must stem the crisis engulfing the NHS following ministers’ 12-year assault on pay. 

Unite’s ambulance workers voted by up to 92 per cent for strike action.

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Sharon Graham, Unite general secretary, said: “Make no mistake, we are now in the fight of our lives for the very NHS itself. These strikes are a stark warning – our members are taking a stand to save our NHS from this government. 

“Patients’ lives are already at risk but this government is sitting on the sidelines, dodging its responsibility to sort out the crisis that it has created.

“Ministers can’t keep hiding behind the pay review body. They know full well it does not address the desperate need to get huge numbers of NHS workers off the breadline. 

“Fail to act now to avert these strikes and the blame will rest firmly at the government’s door.”

Throughout the strike, Unite will maintain essential emergency cover for patients.

Unite continues to ballot 10,000 more NHS workers at 38 different employers across England and Wales, with the results expected later this month.

In January 2023, Unite will extend the strike ballot to more NHS workers as action to improve pay and staffing levels steps up.