AMBULANCE workers in Derry will down equipment from tomorrow night Wednesday, May 6, in a strike over pay.
Unite the union, whose members represent a quarter of the North’s Ambulance Service, will begin the stoppage at midnight.
Translink workers from the union had also been due to strike on 6 May however they deferred the action.
Unite said the ambulance strike, which comes as Unison members engage in a work-to-rule, is “likely to result in significant service disruption”.
Union spokesman Kevin McAdam said: “This action is only the latest in a long running pay campaign to ensure healthcare workers are treated with respect and dignity.
“We urge the incoming health minister to move swiftly to address the outstanding pay dispute and prevent further action.”
However, the Ambulance Service has warned the impact of the ongoing action by the unions is “significant”.
In a statement, NIAS said: “Ambulance control staff have been dynamically managing the situation to position crews in areas where they are most likely to be needed in an effort to maintain as high a level of service as possible.
“The proposed action by UNITE on 6 May will further impact on our ability to deliver an emergency service to those in need.
“The public may, immediately, notice a delay in their call being answered by our Control staff and there will be delays in ambulance response as the Trust anticipates a reduced level of cover for the 24 hour period.
“Calls will be prioritised upon receipt and ambulances sent to the most critically injured or clinically ill patients first.
“Those with less serious complaints may experience prolonged waits for ambulance response.
“The trust would ask that anyone phoning 999 to consider other alternatives.
“If appropriate seek advice from a GP or pharmacist; use can also be made of Minor Injury Units in areas where they operate and, again if appropriate, patients should consider making their own way to the Emergency Department.
“We always need to keep ambulances for real emergencies but it is particularly important that we do so over this period of industrial action.
“However, if anyone feels they are in a real emergency such as witnessing a patient going unconscious, experiencing chest pain or severe breathing difficulties, suffering severe blood loss, involved in serious accident (including road traffic collisions) or believe that life is at risk, the message is to call 999 immediately.”
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