Ambulance workers at Welsh and West Midlands Ambulance Services to strike for two days

The GMB union's announced dates when more than 10-thousand ambulance workers will strike across England and Wales.

The first - on 21st December - comes just a day after a walkout by nurses - before a second on 28th December.

Paramedics, Emergency Care Assistants, call handlers and other staff at nine ambulance trusts including the Welsh Ambulance Service and West Midlands Ambulance Service have voted to strike over pay. 

Last week, workers across the ambulance services and some NHS trusts voted to take industrial action over the government's 4% pay award, which the GMB union has described as another "massive real-terms pay cut".

The union said its representatives will now meet with individual trusts to discuss requirements for "life and limb cover" on the two confirmed dates.

Rachel Harrison, GMB national secretary, said: "After twelve years of Conservative cuts to the service and their pay packets, NHS staff have had enough.

"The last thing they want to do is take strike action, but the government has left them with no choice.

"Steve Barclay needs to listen and engage with us about pay. If he can't talk to us about this most basic workforce issue, what on earth is he health secretary for?

"The government could stop this strike in a heartbeat - but they need to wake up and start negotiating on pay."