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A wage deal between the government and the unions representing ambulance staff could be on the horizon after the suspension of the main strikes. Health Secretary Steve Barclay has said he "wants to start talks as soon as possible" with unions Unison and GMB after calling off an industrial action that would have seen tens of thousands of key workers leave next week. Unison and GMB made the decision after the Department of Health and Human Care (DHSC) said money was available for possible wage increases this year and next.
Some 32,000 NHS workers are believed to have taken part in the planned strikes at Unison, including 24,500 paramedics, while 13,000 paramedics were part of the GMB action.
However, the Unite union said it would continue its strikes Monday and Wednesday due to what it called "unreasonable preconditions" to the negotiations imposed by the DHSC.
The Health Secretary said he wanted to strike a "fair deal" with Unison and GMB, and called on Unite to "join other unions at the bargaining table."
Mr Barclay said: 'I am pleased that the unions representing the majority of paramedics, nurses and physiotherapists have agreed to call off the strikes and start formal talks.
“I want to start these talks as soon as possible to reach a fair agreement. I call on Unite to end the strikes and join other unions at the negotiating table.
GMB national secretary Rachel Harrison said the government's latest concession marks a "big change" in its stance, but warned that "the strike will come back in force if talks fail."
Unison's Sara Gorton said industrial action would resume if the talks were not "meaningful."
On Monday, Unite members of the West Midlands, North West, South Central, South Coast and East Midlands Ambulance Trusts will go on strike.
This is the first time Unite members in the South Central and South Coast have taken industrial action.
Yorkshire members, who are also on strike for the first time, will start an industrial action on Wednesday.
PA wire
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