Ambulance workers in the Harrogate district are staging another one-day strike today.
Yorkshire Ambulance Service staff who are members of the GMB union have set-up another picket line outside the ambulance station on Lancaster Park Road in Harrogate, close to the hospital.
Paramedics, emergency care assistants, call handlers and other staff are among those taking part in the industrial action, although ambulance workers will continue to respond to the most serious incidents.
Further ambulance strikes are planned on March 6 and 20 and Harrogate District Hospital will be hit by a two-day nurses’ strike beginning on March 1.
GMB national secretary Rachel Harrison urged the government to “talk pay now” and claimed ministers were unwilling to solve the dispute.
Health Secretary Steve Barclay said the strikes “only cause further disruption for patients” and he remained “keen to keep talking to unions about what is fair and affordable”.
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Rail strike to disrupt Harrogate district travel to York’s Ebor Festival
No trains will operate in the Harrogate district today due to the latest rail strike.
The strike will cause disruption for people travelling to the final day of the Ebor Festival at York Racecourse.
Today’s Sky Bet Ebor is the richest flat handicap in Europe and always attracts huge crowds.
A spokesman for the racecourse told the Stray Ferret
“It’s not our dispute – it’s frustrating and disappointing for lots of people that the two parties don’t seem to have reached a resolution.
“We will leave the car parks open and unlocked so people can leave their cars and come back to collect them on Sunday.”
The spokesman said Harrogate had good bus connections with York and racegoers from the town faced fewer travel problems than those from many other places.
He added free shuttle buses operated throughout the day between York train station and the racecourse on Knavesmire Road.
Today’s national strike is the second in three days. The Rail, Maritime and Transport union also called a one-day strike on the underground in London yesterday over jobs and pensions.
Transport Secretary Grants Shapps has threatened to limit union power and force through legislation for changes to the railways if the strikes are not settled.
Machines are Harrogate station urging people not to travel today.
Striking RMT union pickets Harrogate train station
Members of the RMT union organised a picket line outside Harrogate train station this morning.
No trains are expected to operate today from Harrogate and Knaresborough due to a national strike called by the RMT.
Some 40,000 members of the union are taking part in the industrial action.
Four of them arrived on Station Parade at Harrogate at about 7am this morning.
Speaking to the Stray Ferret at about 9am, they said they had received a lot of support from passers-by, with motorists tooting their horns and passers-by giving them drinks.
They said they didn’t want to be on strike and regretted the disruption but felt it was necessary because of concerns about pay, conditions and job security.
Trains are expected to resume tomorrow in Harrogate and Knaresborough.
Read more:
- Traffic and Travel Alert: No trains from Harrogate and Knaresborough amid rail staff strike
- Harrogate and Knaresborough trains to Leeds to be reinstated in December