Ambulance Victoria’s regional mechanics walk off the job

Geelong ambulance mechanics are set to walk off the job, with one lifting the lid on the stresses of the job.

Ambulance fleet maintenance officer, Kevin Haley, from Bendigo. Regional fleet maintenance officers will be striking on Monday.

Geelong ambulance maintenance crews are among those across regional Victoria walking off the job due to a pay dispute that has already lasted 14 months.

Ambulance fleet maintenance officers (FMOs) from regional stations in Ballarat, Bendigo, Geelong, Hamilton, Horsham, Morwell, Shepparton and Wangaratta will be striking for 24 hours on Monday, as they demand increased pay due to the cost-of-living crisis.

The FMOs say Ambulance Victoria (AV) has failed to recognise the crucial role of those keeping ambulances on the road in rural Victoria.

A Geelong FMO, who did not want to be identified, said his team’s workload has more than doubled in the past two years, without AV providing sufficient financial compensation or extra staff.

“We’re undervalued,” the local FMO said.

“We get a normal mechanic’s rate but if the car I work on tomorrow doesn’t start, potentially someone dies.

“You carry that burden home with you.

“We don’t switch off at 4.30pm when we put the tools down.

“We need a bigger hourly rate.

“Our role is dominantly as a mechanic, but we’re doing Covid cleans and suiting up to do a Covid bomb to kill the Covid germs, we have to do stretchers, stretcher docks, flat tyres, cabinetry, power loaders, the lights, the sirens, the telemetry – and saving them a fortune in the process.”

The FMO said in Geelong just four FMOs maintained roughly 50 ambulances as well as sedans, unmarked vehicles and managers’ cars.

“We just need to be recognised,” he said.

“Our pay needs to reflect our work.

“If (we) stop, everything stops.”

An AV spokesperson said the organisation respected the rights of FMOs to take protected action during the negotiations.

“AV continues to negotiate in good faith with employee representatives towards a mutually beneficial Ambulance Victoria Enterprise Agreement 2024,” the spokesperson said.

“Most importantly, if Victorians have an emergency and you need an ambulance, you will get one, and patient safety will not be impacted.”

United Workers Union’s national ambulance co-ordinator Fiona Scalon said a strike of this kind was a historic first.

“There is no record of fleet officers being pushed to take this kind of action previously,” Ms Scalon said.

“Without (FMOs) Ambulance Victoria stops – but the pay of FMOs lags behind mechanic counterparts in other emergency services.

“AV doesn’t seem to get how important fleet workers are in providing much-needed ambulance services in regional Victoria.

Ms Scalon said the move came after more than 70 meetings between FMOs and AV.

“AV has failed to present an offer that addresses the cost-of-living crisis facing our members,” she said.

“Our crews in the fleet feel they have been given no other option but to take industrial action, and have voted accordingly.”

Originally published as Ambulance Victoria’s regional mechanics walk off the job