YORKSHIRE ambulance workers are to stage the latest in a series of strikes in a long-running dispute over patient and staff safety and working conditions.

Unite represents almost 400 Yorkshire ambulance workers.

They will strike from 3 to 9pm on Friday and the following Tuesday.

Unite raised safety and other issues with Yorkshire Ambulance Trust early last year. Management responded by derecognising the union.

Yorkshire ambulance’s majority union, public service union Unison, which has 1,300 members, has also voted for strike action.

Unite regional officer Terry Cunliffe said: “The trust’s chief executive David Whiting continues to play hard ball with his employees and has snubbed every genuine attempt by Unite to engage in positive talks for the benefit of the Yorkshire public.

“Our members firmly believe that the public deserve a first-class fully resourced ambulance service and, as they have shown on a number of occasions since April 2013, they have been prepared to strike to strongly make that case.

“We have been buoyed up by the support we have received from Yorkshire people and we thank them for that. Unite’s door is open for talks under the auspices of Acas at any time.”

Earlier this summer the management unilaterally imposed new working conditions, making emergency care assistants (ECAs) — who have only six weeks’ training — take on more responsibilities such as being the first to respond to emergency calls in place of paramedics, who have completed a two-year degree course. Unite has repeatedly called for ECAs to receive more training.