how are you planning to deal with the ambulance strikes in particular, and how might those, combined, make that really challenging in the hospitals? irate that really challenging in the hosoitals? that really challenging in the hositals? . ., ., ., ., hospitals? we are doing all that we ossibl hospitals? we are doing all that we possibly can hospitals? we are doing all that we possibly can to hospitals? we are doing all that we possibly can to prepare. hospitals? we are doing all that we possibly can to prepare. we - possibly can to prepare. we obviously have some notice of the strike actions, we were able to manage last week s first nurses strike, as well as can be expected, but these industrial actions have an impact, it would be surprising if you could take key members of staff out of the health service is not have an impact, so we are concerned about the ambulance workers strike, the trade unions have committed to maintaining emergency services but the actual emergencies, t
but it is worth about 8% in scotland, compared to 4.75 in england scotland the gmb paused its strike action. the ambulance and nurses have paused strike actions. the strikes haven t been cancelled, but while negotiations are going on and the unions are thinking about this, there is no current strike action planned in scotland. the government has accused the rmt union of holding the country to ransom after it announced more strikes on the railways over christmas. the rmt is involved in two sets of talks, in long running disputes over pay, jobs and working conditions. it s acknowledged that passengers will be angry, but insisted that proposals tabled by network rail and the train companies aren t acceptable. our business correspondent theo leggett is at king s cross station in central london.
in a dispute over pay. members of aslef at chiltern, northern and transpennine express have voted for walkouts in the long running row affecting the industry. let s speak to our transport correspondent katy austin. tell us what this will mean. we already have tell us what this will mean. - already have strikes at other companies and that we have three others as there is an overwhelming vote in favour of strike action would turn out over 80% at each of the three operators in the yes vote was over 90% at all three. this brings the total number of trained companies where aslef says there is a mandate for strike action to 12. no further strike actions have been set at the moment. aslef says this is over pay and members are angry at the lack of a pay rise over the last few years and they want a pay increase it matches the increased cost of living, so inflation as we all know has been really high recently and they have said that the way to avoid further strike action
the latest strikes come amid growing concerns about the cost of living and pressure on the real value of wages. let s talk to our business correspondent caroline davies. some have compared this summer to the 1970s, when we had the combination of high inflation, and industrial action. we are not at the same levels we saw of inflation at the highs of inflation in the 1970s was up in 1975 inflation was at 22.6%. we know from history that inflation erodes savings and can stop companies from growing but it can also mean people cannot buy the same number of goods they used to if wages are not kept at the same level. and we know wages are not giving up to the same level of inflation and that s a big reason why we are seeing so many of the strike actions, it s about pay. it s not necessarily all about pay but thatis not necessarily all about pay but that is a major factor in the reasons why many unions are calling for walk outs. inflation is continuing to expect to rise. we heard from the bank