Military Personnel Help London Ambulances During Strike Action

British military personnel have stepped in today to help the London Ambulance Service during strike action by health workers. 

Midwives, nurses, paramedics, ambulance staff, and hospital porters and cleaners mounted picket lines across England from 7am for four hours, while action will be taken later in Northern Ireland.

Several trade unions are involved in the action, including those representing nurses, paramedics, hospital porters and ambulance crews as well as the Royal College of Midwives (RCM).

The strike, the biggest of its kind for over 30 years, will be followed by other forms of industrial action for the rest of the week, ahead of a national protest in London on Saturday organised by the TUC under the banner Britain Needs A Pay Rise.

The dispute involves over 400,000 NHS staff, who have been hit by pay freezes or below inflation rises since the coalition came to power in 2010. Unite said a poll it commissioned showed public support for the industrial action as well as backing for a decent pay rise.