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NHS strikes after union meeting with health secretary Steve Barkley breaks down | Politics news

Strikes by NHS staff are set to take place this month after a meeting between union bosses and the health secretary broke down.

Steve Barclay failed to prevent further walkouts by ambulance and NHS support staff during a brief meeting on Monday.

Union leaders reacted angrily to the meeting, which was seen as a breakthrough in relations after the government initially said it would not talk to unions about pay.

Onaj Kassab, Unite’s national leader, said the government “only wanted to talk about productivity” and said there had been no detailed discussion of a pay settlement as he confirmed strikes by ambulance workers would take place on January 23.

“Productivity when our members are working 18-hour days! I don’t know how you get more productive,” he said.

“I am very angry on behalf of our members.”

Mr Kassab added that it was “absolutely ridiculous” and “outrageous” that the government only wanted to talk about NHS staff being more productive in exchange for a pay rise.

“It’s a shame,” he said.

The GMB union said no cash offers had been made and there was nothing “concrete” about pay for the next financial year, which starts in April.

A spokesman confirmed that the strike by its members, who are ambulance workers, would continue on Wednesday.

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