London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Saturday, May 31, 2025

Unions claim troops not ‘sufficiently trained’ to cover for striking staff

Unions claim troops not ‘sufficiently trained’ to cover for striking staff

The Government has said it is stepping up its contingency plans for industrial action in the week leading up to Christmas.
Unions have lashed out at plans for the armed forces to cover for striking public sector workers in the run up to Christmas, claiming the military are not “sufficiently trained” to plug staffing gaps on the front line.

The Government is deploying 1,200 troops from the Army, Navy and RAF to fill in for ambulance drivers and border staff during widespread walkouts over the festive period, with more than 1,000 civil servants also drafted in to help.

But while ministers have insisted their chief concern is public safety, unions have accused the Government of trying to “mask” the “effectiveness” of strike action, having spent time on contingency planning that could have been “better” invested in securing a deal.

They warned military personnel are not properly qualified to guard the borders or drive ambulances, insisting troops should not be put in such an “invidious” position when they already have “enough on their plate”.

Ambulance crews in England are due to walk out for two days on December 21 and 28 in a row over pay, while border staff in the Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS) will strike for eight days from December 23 until New Year’s Eve.

Health Secretary Steve Barclay said his “number one priority” is keeping patients “as safe as possible” as he reiterated the Government’s position that union demands are “not affordable”.

But Unite, which is co-ordinating the ambulance strikes with GMB and Unison, accused ministers of “hollowing out” the NHS, maintaining those taking industrial action are in fact “trying to save the service”.

GMB and Unison said those in power had opted to “dig in their heels” on pay with the health service “already on its knees”, making disruption appear “inevitable”.

Sara Gorton, Unison’s head of health, also warned the military is “no substitute” for qualified ambulance staff, while Nathan Holman, from GMB, said bringing in “untrained” personnel would be a “hindrance” rather than a help.

Without specialist training in exceeding speed limits and passing through red lights, Mr Holman told the PA news agency the military would only be able to respond to the “least urgent calls”.

Ms Gorton said the promise of a Government rethink on NHS pay “could have put the brakes on action”, but ministers “chose instead to dig in their heels”.

“The military’s no substitute for trained ambulance staff as the Government knows,” she said

“The hours spent on contingency planning could have been better used trying to prevent the strikes from taking place.”

Fears over insufficient training were echoed by the PCS, which accused Home Secretary Suella Braverman of “scrambling around” to get “anyone she can” to cover for border staff.

Paul O’Connor, the union’s head of bargaining, said the military have “better things to do” than passport control.

“They are not sufficiently trained to carry out this role and they shouldn’t be put in this invidious position when they should be enjoying the festive break with their families,” he said.

“The same applies to civil servants who are being pulled in from elsewhere, also leaving their jobs uncovered.

“Instead of throwing good money after bad trying to desperately mask the effectiveness of our industrial action, the Government should put a serious offer on the table to deal with the cost-of-living crisis that they have created for their own workforce.

“That is the only way to resolve this dispute.”

The troops drafted in to cover for striking workers include 600 ambulance drivers, plus a further 150 providing logistical support.

Community first responders will also be used to help manage demand for medical care.

Meanwhile, military personnel will join civil servants filling in for striking Border Force staff.

They will help “minimise disruption for passengers” by checking documents and passports.

The NHS will enact “tried and tested” plans to mitigate risks to patient safety and manage disruption, the Government said, while trusts will work with unions to agree on a safe level of cover.

Health chiefs have written to hospitals urging them to free up a maximum number of beds by safely discharging patients in advance of the ambulance strikes.

But Dr Adrian Boyle, president of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine, warned this will be a challenge.

While he agrees with the “principles” in the letter, he told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme the demands will be “really difficult” to achieve.

"I have listened to unions and am open to further discussions but their demands are not affordable in the economic circumstances"

The Cabinet Office is also set to publish a new “resilience framework” on Monday, bringing together all levels of government, as well as the private sector, charities and the public to “bolster” the UK’s preparedness for industrial action.

Mr Barclay said: “NHS staff do an incredible job and it is deeply regrettable some union members are going ahead with further strike action.

“My number one priority is to keep patients as safe as possible and we are stepping up preparations across government and the NHS, including making best use of the armed forces, volunteers and freeing up capacity to mitigate disruption and ensure safe staffing levels.

“People who need emergency and life-threatening care should continue to come forward as normal, or use NHS 111 online for urgent advice.

“I have listened to unions and am open to further discussions but their demands are not affordable in the economic circumstances.”
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Satirical Sketch Sparks Political Spouse Feud in South Korea
Indonesia Quarry Collapse Leaves Multiple Dead and Missing
South Korean Election Video Pulled Amid Misogyny Outcry
Asian Economies Shift Away from US Dollar Amid Trade Tensions
Netflix Investigates Allegations of On-Set Mistreatment in K-Drama Production
US Defence Chief Reaffirms Strong Ties with Singapore Amid Regional Tensions
Vietnam Faces Strategic Dilemma Over China's Mekong River Projects
Malaysia's First AI Preacher Sparks Debate on Islamic Principles
White House Press Secretary Criticizes Harvard Funding, Advocates for Vocational Training
France to Implement Nationwide Smoking Ban in Outdoor Spaces Frequented by Children
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI-Driven Military Augmented Reality Systems
Russia's Fossil Fuel Revenues Approach €900 Billion Since Ukraine Invasion
U.S. Justice Department Reduces American Bar Association's Role in Judicial Nominations
U.S. Department of Energy Unveils 'Doudna' Supercomputer to Advance AI Research
U.S. SEC Dismisses Lawsuit Against Binance Amid Regulatory Shift
Alcohol Industry Faces Increased Scrutiny Amid Health Concerns
Italy Faces Population Decline Amid Youth Emigration
U.S. Goods Imports Plunge Nearly 20% Amid Tariff Disruptions
OpenAI Faces Competition from Cheaper AI Rivals
Foreign Tax Provision in U.S. Budget Bill Alarms Investors
Trump Accuses China of Violating Trade Agreement
Gerry Adams Wins Libel Case Against BBC
Russia Accuses Serbia of Supplying Arms to Ukraine
EU Central Bank Pushes to Replace US Dollar with Euro as World’s Main Currency
Chinese Woman Dies After Being Forced to Visit Bank Despite Critical Illness
President Trump Grants Full Pardons to Reality TV Stars Todd and Julie Chrisley
Texas Enacts App Store Accountability Act Mandating Age Verification
U.S. Health Secretary Ends Select COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations
Vatican Calls for Sustainable Tourism in 2025 Message
Trump Warns Putin Is 'Playing with Fire' Amid Escalating Ukraine Conflict
India and Pakistan Engage Trump-Linked Lobbyists to Influence U.S. Policy
U.S. Halts New Student Visa Interviews Amid Enhanced Security Measures
Trump Administration Cancels $100 Million in Federal Contracts with Harvard
SpaceX Starship Test Flight Ends in Failure, Mars Mission Timeline Uncertain
King Charles Affirms Canadian Sovereignty Amid U.S. Statehood Pressure
Trump Threatens 25% Tariff on iPhones Amid Dispute with Apple CEO
Putin's Helicopter Reportedly Targeted by Ukrainian Drones
Liverpool Car Ramming Incident Leaves Multiple Injured
Australia Faces Immigration Debate Following Labor Party Victory
Iranian Revolutionary Guard Founder Warns Against Trusting Regime in Nuclear Talks
Macron Dismisses Viral Video of Wife's Gesture as Playful Banter
Cleveland Clinic Study Questions Effectiveness of Recent Flu Vaccine
Netanyahu Accuses Starmer of Siding with Hamas
Junior Doctors Threaten Strike Over 4% Pay Offer
Labour MPs Urge Chancellor to Tax Wealthy Over Cutting Welfare
Publication of UK Child Poverty Strategy Delayed Until Autumn
France Detains UK Fishing Vessel Amid Post-Brexit Tensions
Calls Grow to Resume Syrian Asylum Claims in UK
Nigel Farage Pledges to Reinstate Winter Fuel Payments
Boris and Carrie Johnson Welcome Daughter Poppy
×