Ambulance staff set to stage more walkouts

Members of Unite at the Yorkshire Ambulance Trust will walk out for five hours from 3pm on Friday, next Monday and March 29, and from 3am on March 31.

The dispute flared more than a year ago over new shift patterns which Unite said could lead to staff working for 10 hours without a meal break.

The union has warned that patient safety could be affected by staff “exhaustion”.

Regional officer Terry Cunliffe said: “Our members have shown amazing solidarity over the last year despite the hard line that an obstinate and blinkered management has continued to take.

“Our members don’t take strike action lightly – it has been a last resort – but they feel there are important issues at stake here involving patient and staff safety.”

Unite has 375 members involved in the row, which has already led to several strikes since last year.

A trust spokesman said: “Once again, this will take place without any concessions for the most seriously ill and injured patients and we remain concerned over this type of action.”