Strike action could be taken by frontline ambulance staff over working conditions.
On Monday, Unison said it had told the East of England Ambulance Service it is to ballot staff over strike action concerning managers’ failure to tackle excessive working hours and insufficient breaks.
The union and ambulance service have been locked in talks for months, but it appears those talks have now broken down.
The ambulance service had proposed two 20-minute undisturbed breaks instead of one 45-minute break - with only 30 minutes undisturbable - and says proposals also tackled late finishes.
Unison wants a 45-minute and a 20-minute break, and for crews to return to base at the end of their shift and only be asked to attend the highest category of calls while en route.
Unison branch secretary Fraer Stevenson said: “Fifteen hour shifts with just a half hour unpaid break are now commonplace.
“Theirs is already a stressful job, being made almost unbearable by excessive working hours.
“We have little choice now than to consider industrial action.”
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