Ambulance workers feel betrayed by government, says union

• Ambulance staff feel ‘utterly betrayed’ by attempts to ‘paint them as uncaring’.
• GMB has written to Rishi Sunak accusing him of ‘demonizing’ striking staff.
• Downing Street says it “greatly valued” ambulance workers and the door open for talks.

Striking ambulance staff feel “utterly betrayed” by attempts to “paint them as uncaring”, a union has said.

The GMB union has written to Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, accusing him of “demonizing” paramedics, call handlers and emergency care assistants who are striking over pay and conditions.

In response, Downing Street said it “greatly valued” ambulance workers and the “door remains open” for talks.

Workers have been charged by ministers with endangering lives while on strike.

More than 10,000 ambulance employees from nine ambulance services in England and Wales went on strike on Wednesday, and GMB is their representative.

In a letter on behalf of the GMB Ambulance Committee, Steve Rice claimed to be “appalled” by recent government pronouncements and claimed that ministers were trying to limit employees’ ability to strike.

He wrote: “We feel utterly betrayed by the way your government has singled out ambulance workers as part of a crude attempt to remove our right to strike.

“You and your ministers should be ashamed of the way you have tried to paint us as uncaring about safety standards – nothing could be further from the truth.

“We want a constructive relationship with government – to talk about pay and seriously improve conditions throughout the ambulance service.

But you are making us and our ambulance colleagues feel demonized.” Mr. Rice concludes: “Please talk to us and stop attacking us.”

The letter comes after the prime minister described the industrial action as “terrifying”.

He told the Commons on Wednesday: “What is terrifying is that right now people do not know whether, when they call 999, they will get the treatment they need.”

Business Secretary Grant Shapps told MPs that “a lack of timely co-operation” from unions was “putting their constituents’ lives at risk.”

Responding to the GMB letter, Downing Street said the health secretary’s door remains open to talks with unions and it has accepted the independent pay review body’s recommendation to give one million NHS workers a pay rise of at least £1,400 this year.

A spokesperson said: “However, we must keep the public safe, which is why we are introducing minimum service and safety levels across a range of sectors to ensure that lives and livelihoods are not lost.”

In order to prevent additional strike action, Mr. Sunak said he intended to “find a way through” the impasse with the unions. He also praised the minimum service level legislation.

MPs are expected to revisit the Bill on Monday.

Labor deputy leader Angela Rayner tweeted: “Ministers know this shoddy, unworkable Bill won’t do a thing to help working people or avoid strikes.”

“Ministers know this lousy, unworkable Bill won’t do a thing to help working people or avoid strikes,” wrote Angela Rayner, the deputy leader of Labor, in a tweet.

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