STRIKING AMBULANCE WORKERS SHOW SOLIDARITY IN ECCLES

Some 24 ambulance workers stood on the picket line today at Barton Lane ambulance station in Eccles, waving placards to show their solidarity and voice their opinions as to why they are taking strike action.

This is their first strike since 1989 and as then it's due to complaints of poor working conditions and pay, also to ensure that the services they are providing are of the highest quality.

I spoke to Ashley McDermott the Unison representative and Medical technician who, said:

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"We are striking about the overall working conditions and our pay,  but patients safety comes first, on Christmas Day evening I was queueing for nine hours with a patient in the ambulance at the A and E department at Salford Royal before they could be seen, due to staff shortages, that is intolerable.

The irony is that there are 1,000s of NHS jobs available but people are not willing to work for low pay and in these stressful working conditions.

There is a myth that we will not turn out for some calls, that is untrue, we will turn out for category one and two calls, men on this picket line will attend these calls, despite the Government saying otherwise.

We are pleased with the general publics attitude towards us, cars are beeping their horns in support and several people have called into the station with cakes, biscuits, hot drinks and words of encouragement which we appreciate"

 

The workers will be there until 7pm tonight so if you are passing beep your horn or feel free to stop and have a chat with them.

Earlier in the morning, Salford Mayor Paul Dennett attended the picket-line along with a number of Salford Councillors, including Broughton's very own 'Media Maria' Brabiner who is always found out and about using her voice in staunch support of the unions.

John Catterall and Mike Kelly also popped along to unfurl the Salford TUC Banner before distributing butties to their comrades on the picket-line.

The next proposed strike action day for NHS workers is 23rd January 2023 and once more we will all be showing our support.