The clock is ticking down to the start of strike action tomorrow involving UNISON members in the ambulance service in five regions in England, together with staff at two hospitals in Liverpool.
There are legal provisions and a statutory code of practice around who can picket and how pickets are run. Members may only lawfully picket at or near their own place of work and the union could be sued if any members engaged in unlawful picketing.
In the case of ambulance strikes, branches will be managing the need to safely dispatch ambulances from picket lines under agreed life-and-limb exemptions.
It’s important to make sure legal requirements and patient safety are maintained, and UNISON regional offices will be working with striking branches to manage invitations and arrangements for visitors to their pickets.
However, there is plenty that non-striking members and supporters can do to show solidarity.
