Unite the union has announced 10 strike days by ambulance workers as the dispute with the government over pay rates escalates.

The new action, which follows the GMB union’s announcement of four strike dates, will mean walk-outs in in the Northwest, Northeast, East Midlands, West Midlands, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Unite said it would continue action at a regional level to ensure emergency life and limb cover will be in place during the strikes.

The new strike dates and areas affected are: West Midlands – 6 and 17 February and 6 and 20 March; Northeast – 6 and 20 February and 6 and 20 March; East Midlands – 6 and 20 February and 6 and 20 March; Wales – 6 and 20 February and 6 and 20 March; Northwest – 6 and 22 February 6 and 20 March; and Northern Ireland –  26 January and 16, 17, 23 and 24 February.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Rather than act to protect the NHS and negotiate an end to the dispute, the government has disgracefully chosen to demonise ambulance workers. Ministers are deliberately misleading the public about the life and limb cover and who is to blame for excessive deaths. 

“Our members faithfully provide life and limb cover on strike days and it’s not the unions who are not providing minimum service levels: It’s this government’s disastrous handling of the NHS that has brought it to breaking point. And as crisis piles on crisis, the prime minister is seen to be ‘washing his hands’ of the dispute. What a disgrace. What an abdication of leadership.” 

NHS Providers interim deputy chief executive and director of policy and strategy Miriam Deakin said: “Ten more days of strikes by Unite ambulance staff will make what is already an incredibly difficult situation for NHS patients and staff even harder.

“As one of these dates, 6 February, coincides with strikes by nurses and GMB ambulance workers next month, trust leaders are facing what for many may be the most challenging day of their careers.

“Nobody wants these strikes to happen but it’s clear that staff feel they have been driven to this. We understand that.

“Trust leaders will do all they can to mitigate the impact of these strikes but escalating industrial action will only cause further disruption and impact patient care at a time when trust leaders and their staff want to focus on driving down waiting times.

“It’s absolutely imperative that the government sit down with the unions immediately to resolve this by talking about pay for this financial year.”