Ambulance staff in West Yorkshire have voted for industrial action following a dispute over pay and conditions.

The action falls short of an all-out strike with workers to carry out overtime bans.

They will take place on 27 November; from 16 to 22 December; and from 30 December to 5 January.

Workers at West Yorkshire Ambulance Service had been offered a 3.6% increase this year.

'Minimum disruption'

Phil Bown, regional industrial organiser for the T&G union, said: "For three years ambulance workers have been told their terms and conditions will be brought up to a nationally recommended level.

"Yet again the employer's offer falls well short.

"All we are asking, is for ambulance workers to earn a sustainable living wage and improvement in their conditions of work.

'Way forward'

"The union has decided not to exercise their right for an all-out strike at this time, in an effort to cause minimum disruption to the public and to encourage the employer to come to the negotiating table and reach a fair settlement."

Members of the T&G voted by a majority of 75% in favour of strike action, and by 92% to take action short of a strike.

Steven Griffin, of West Yorkshire Metropolitan Ambulance Service, said: "We are very aware of the concerns of staff regarding their working conditions.

"Clearly nobody wants to see industrial action and we have meetings scheduled with the trade unions over the next few days to find a way forward."