AMBULANCE service bosses in an ongoing dispute with staff over a change to working patterns are confident an agreement will be reached soon.
Bosses at Great Western Ambulance Service have been in talks with worker union representatives after a row broke out over shift hours last October.
Staff claim the changes in working hours have removed crews’ rights to two unpaid rest breaks and resulted in shifts lasting a minimum of 12 hours. The dispute almost led to strike action by staff in January when unions threatened to begin working to rule.
But this week, a spokesman for the ambulance service said talks between the two sides looked close to ending.
He said: “The negotiations are still ongoing and we are confident an agreement will be reached soon.
“We are pleased any strike action was avoided over this sensitive issue.”
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