Ambulance strikes may take place before Christmas as the GMB Union opens ballot dates

Financial cuts and staff shortages have meant that a number of people in the GMB union are concerned that they are unable to deliver safe patient care.

The union has announced strike action ballot dates for over 15,000 ambulance workers across 11 trusts in England and Wales, including South Central Ambulance Service (Scas), which covers Hampshire.

The ballot opens on 24 October and closes on 29 November, and will give ambulance workers the opportunity to cast their vote on whether they want to take action and strike.

If the ballot results state that the majority of people want to strike, it is expected that this will take place before Christmas.

Rachel Harrison, GMB National Officer, said: ‘Ambulance workers have just had enough.

‘Pay has been systematically slashed for more than ten years and we now face the worst cost of living crush in a generation.’