Ballot for strike action over derecognition

The Unite general union has agreed to ballot 450 paramedics and other ambulance workers for industrial action following the union’s derecognition by Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust. The dispute centres round the trust’s attempt to silence Unite from raising patient safety concerns.

The trust is proposing to save £46 million over the next five years by increasing use of “emergency care assistants”, who have only six weeks’ training, and reducing use of paramedics, who undergo a two-year degree course. Unite raised concerns over the impact on patients and the demotion and de-skilling of staff this would involve. This resulted in its unilateral derecognition by the trust.

Unite regional officer Terry Cunliffe said: “The management is trying to silence Unite after it raised legitimate concerns over patient safety” which he said was “mindboggling” given the recent Francis report which placed great emphasis on a “duty of candour”.