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Wales ambulance strike postponed after better pay offer Welsh NHS strikes: Nurses, ambulance staff and physios halt action
(about 1 hour later)
About a quarter of ambulance service workers are represented by the GMB unionAbout a quarter of ambulance service workers are represented by the GMB union
Welsh ambulance staff in the GMB union have suspended strike action following an improved offer was tabled by ministers. Welsh NHS staff have suspended strike action following an improved offer from ministers.
The BBC has been told the Welsh government offered a one-off pay deal on top of the already imposed 4.5% pay rise for workers. Health minister Eluned Morgan has offered eight health unions an extra 3% on top of the £1,400 already promised.
GMB members had planned to take industrial action on four dates in February and March, starting Monday. The Royal College of Nursing (RCN), Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (CSP) and GMB union ambulance staff have put walkouts next week on hold.
However they have been postponed while the union considers the latest offer. However other union members, including Unite and midwives, have not called off planned industrial action.
It is unclear what other unions have decided to do at this stage. The Welsh government has tabled a new deal of an extra 3% - backdated to April 2022, of which 1.5% is consolidated so will be in pay packets year-on-year.
Details of the offer have not yet been disclosed, but the GMB said the Welsh government confirmed negotiations for 2023-24 will begin almost immediately. "Included in this revised package are a number of non-pay commitments to enhance staff wellbeing, on which negotiations will continue next week," a spokesperson said.
The GMB represents about a quarter of the ambulance service in Wales, including paramedics, call room staff and ambulance technicians. "Whilst there is currently no improved pay offer on the table for NHS staff in England, it was also agreed that any resulting Barnett consequential following any improved offer to staff in England would result in a further pay offer to staff in Wales."
Strikes will mean cancelled operations - minister The Welsh government said it awaiting formal responses from each union - who will put the offer to members - and said it hoped strike action planned for next week would be called off.
Plaid Cymru calls for income tax rises for NHS pay More follows
But about 1,500 union members planning to strike on Monday will now be paused.
GMB and Welsh NHS lead, Nathan Holman, said: "We appreciate the frank and open dialogue with them over the last few months.
"This has only been made possible because the Welsh government has been prepared to talk about pay - a lesson for those in charge on the other side of the Severn Bridge.
"We are a member led union, ultimately they will decide."
Thousands of ambulance workers have been holding walkouts since December, with GMB members only responding to life-threatening calls.
Staff staged two strikes in January as part of their calls for better pay, above inflation.
It put increasing pressure on the Welsh government as strikes left the service "seriously disrupted".