Health workers across Wiltshire were this morning manning picket lines as they took part in industrial action.

Ambulance staff from Devizes and were this morning outside their station in Bridewell Street in protest as part of national strike action over pay.

The ambulance crews from the GMB union were waving flags to attract the attention of passers-by to alert them to the industrial action. It is the first time in 32 years that health workers have staged a national walk out.

The Devizes staff were among thousands across the country to stage the strike between 7am and 11am but emergency ambulance call outs were not affected as those showing support for the action were on their days off.

GMB representative Paul Greenaway said: “We want to show that we are unhappy about the Government’s decision not to give all NHS staff a one per cent pay rise as recommended by the Independent Pay Review Body.”

Mr Greenaway said that in real terms ambulance staff were taking home less money as pension contributions had risen.

He said the union was also worried about staffing at the South Western Ambulance NHS Trust.

He said: “Our workload is going up by about ten per cent a year and we are about ten per cent down on the staff numbers we should have. We are worried that the current pay and conditions mean that people are leaving and it is going to be difficult to recruit more experienced people.”

In Chippenham, there was a constant stream of supportive beeps as midwives formed a picket line in the pouring rain outside the community hospital on Rowden Hill.
Frustrated by years of pay freezes and below-inflation rises, it was a historical moment for the members of the Royal College of Midwives, on strike for the first time in their 133-year history.
One Chippenham midwife taking action said: “We’re all so dedicated to mums and babies and we’d like that to be recognised.”

Another said: “All we want is one per cent. The nursing and midwifery council professional registration has just gone up from £100 to £120 – it’s gone up £50 in five years and we haven’t had a pay rise in that time.
“And the politicians give themselves a 10 to 12 per cent increase, that rankles.
“We work hard and we don’t always get to take our breaks.”

Also showing solidarity was one worker on maternity leave and one due to retire.

They said bank holiday staffing was in place - three members of staff – so no mothers or babies were put at risk during the strike.
They said senior management also joined the protest at the Royal United Hospital in Bath, who took over the running of Chippenham’s Birth Centre in June this year.
Other unions - Unite, Unison and GMB - also walked out today from 7am to 11am, in protest at the Government’s decision not to accept the independent pay review body’s recommendation to award a one per cent pay rise.
Instead, ministers took the controversial decision to only award the rise to those at the top of their pay band, which unions say has denied the increase to 60 per cent of NHS workers.