Ambulance staff to vote on strike

The disagreement is over pay for paramedics and technicians

Ambulance workers in the West Midlands and Shropshire are to be balloted over strike action.

One of their unions said the Department of Health (DoH) has interfered in a pay agreement already reached with the ambulance service.

Talks have been taking place since the summer but Unison now says its members are ready to take action.

The ambulance service said it is working to try to resolve the issues which could see action over Christmas.

Ray Salmon, from Unison, said the disagreement is over a new pay scale for paramedics and technicians.

'Awaiting national guidance'

It was agreed they should be on grades five and six of the pay scale.

But he said the DoH stepped in and stopped the process due to the fact the employers had wanted it to be one band lower.

He said members had instructed the union to hold a ballot.

"Given the timescales involved we will see industrial action over the Christmas period if we do not have a resolution," Mr Salmon said.

West Midlands and Shropshire Ambulance Service said it is working hard to resolve the issue of applying new pay bandings.

"Every ambulance service employee is involved in the pay review process," a statement read.

"It is therefore inevitable, given the enormity of the undertaking, that differences of opinion will exist on reaching the ultimate aim of ensuring fair pay and the harmonisation of conditions."

Information about the pay review has been sent to the DoH to check for consistency.

"We therefore await national guidance and remain keen to work closely with the trade unions to resolve the issue as soon as possible," it said.

The news comes in the same week that firefighters in the West Midlands staged a three-hour strike.