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PICKET lines outside ambulance stations around the country received a cacophony of support from passing vehicles as 23,000 ambulance worker members of Unison, the GMB and Unite went on strike again yesterday.
Richard Kingham, a motorcycle paramedic picketing the London Ambulance Service headquarters on Waterloo Road in central London, told News Line: ‘There’s a very good togetherness and a great turnout for our strike.
‘The support of the public is magnificent, as you can hear from the passing traffic. There is huge support for our strike because people are sick of the lies coming from this government who are just contemptuous of everyone except their own little elite.
‘They made millions out of the pandemic, that tells you all you need to know about their attitude. I think society is changing, the iPhone generation don’t just accept the official version of events, they have lots of sources of information.
‘With the government refusing to converse in a so-called democratic society, people are concluding that we have to have some drastic changes.’
Speaking on the picket line at Chase Farm in Enfield north London, Unison rep Richard Ferro told News Line: ‘Here we are again, there are less of us at the moment because we’ve got people out on jobs.
‘At least they sat down (the government) there are cracks appearing. You turn on the news and every day the NHS is on the media, so it’s getting us noticed.’
Asked what he thought about Unite general secretary Sharon Graham’s comments about the government wanting privatisation, he said: ‘It’s no secret to us working in the NHS that privatisation is their agenda. PPE was a perfect example. There are more private ambulances than ever, more private hospitals.
‘I think a general strike is the only way there will be a result. It’s different for us because we can’t just down tools and let people die, none of us want that, so if others came out it would help our cause.’
On the Deptford Ambulance Station picket line on the busy Old Kent Road in south east London, striking Unison members were in a determined mood.
Paramedic Gabs Cucinella told News Line: ‘We’re here for a pay rise and for our patients. We are here standing strong, it’s not a decision we have come to lightly.
‘Listening to the government today, saying that our strike is disgraceful is pushing us all to fight harder. It cements the need for a general strike.
‘The government is not listening to us. The only way forward is a general strike to bring the government down. We can’t wait for an election and Labour under Starmer is not my ideal. I agree with having a workers government that will nationalise and carry out socialist production.’
Assistant ambulance practitioner Laura Nicholson said: ‘I support the strikes across the country. The unions should stand up against the government. We are in a cost of living crisis with inflation, we need a pay rise.’
Emergency medical technician Lisa Clark said: ‘I’m striking today because I need a pay rise to have enough to feed my children. I feel upset at this government. I support all the unions taking action, we should all be in it together.’
Fellow emergency medical technician John Gough said: ‘It’s appalling the way the people in government are demonising us, even though we are providing emergency cover.
‘We are striking not only for our rights but also for our patients. We are fighting for the NHS, not just for now, but for the future. We should do everything we can to stop privatisation.’
Speaking from the Ambulance strike picket line in Chorley, Lancashire, yesterday, Unite general secretary, Sharon Graham said: ‘The Prime Minister is missing in action. It’s been five weeks since Unite ambulance service members last went on strike. We haven’t had a single offer from the government, there hasn’t been one meeting.
‘Today I’m calling for Rishi Sunak to come out of hiding, to do his job as the leader of this country and start negotiating. (Secretary of State for Health) Steven Barclay hasn’t got the authority, it would seem. Rishi Sunak is the CEO of this employer. He needs to come to the table. Let’s do a deal and get these people back to work.’
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