Yorkshire Ambulance Trust dispute: Further strike dates

Ambulance workers have announced further strike dates in a long-running row over shifts and working hours.

Unite members at the Yorkshire Ambulance Trust plan to strike for five hours on four days - Friday and 24, 29 and 31 March.

The union claims proposed longer shift patterns could lead to staff working for up to 10 hours without a meal break and could affect patient safety.

The trust said it would take steps to "maintain operational cover".

It would continue to talk with with Unite through conciliation service Acas and it would minimise the level of disruption to services, the trust added.

The union has 375 members of the trust's 4,600 employees.

Unite's Terry Cunliffe said: "Our members don't take strike action lightly - it has been a last resort - but they feel there are important issues at stake here involving patient and staff safety."

The row has led to a series of strikes that started in February.