AMBULANCE workers at St George’s Hospital in south London are set to ballot on possible strike action over proposed changes to their shift patterns. 

Their union, GMB, said it will not allow Healthcare & Transport Services (Hats), the private employer that runs the contract for patient-transport services at St George’s, to worsen the pay and conditions of its hard-working members.

If members at the hospital vote to strike, industrial action will take place in the new year.

Hats has ignored concerns raised by workers that these changes will have a significant impact on their pay, their hours and their work-life balance, according to GMB. 

GMB regional organiser Helen O’Connor said: “GMB has made every effort to engage with Hats around the proposed changes to shift rotas, and the company has completely ignored all of our reasonable attempts to discuss their plans.

“This is disappointing but, unfortunately, not surprising.

“Hats is trying to bully GMB members into accepting shift changes that will alter their hours, their pay and destroy the right of our members to have a family life.

“Equally, St George’s NHS Trust have an opportunity to take this contract back in-house as the tender is up for renewal — so as a union we are urging them to do so.”

Ms O’Connor added that the union “will not stand by and allow a private company which is making huge profits out of the NHS to erode the pay, terms and conditions of our hard-working members, who are already on low wages.”

St George’s and Hats have been approached for comment.