Non-emergency paramedics in rolling ‘stop work’ action

Ambulance drivers and attendants have walked off the job demanding better pay and conditions and their union says the strike action may impact paramedic response times.

Ambulance drivers and attendants have walked off the job demanding better pay and conditions with the union believing strike action may impact paramedic response times.

About 50 non-emergency ambulance workers are taking rolling stop work action on Monday as they battle with a private employer over pay and conditions.

The National Patient Transport workers are often dispatched to Ambulance Victoria jobs which are not considered high-risk or life threatening.

The drivers, who some are on an hourly rate of $24, have been in dispute with the company over a pay deal for the past 18 months. but the company says its pay deal is the best in the industry.

Ambulance drivers and attendants have walked off the job demanding better pay and conditions

Ambulance Employees Australia assistant secretary Olga Bartasek said each employee would stop work for three hours at the start of their shift.

She said the company was trying to “slash penalties and conditions.” She said the workers were also calling for better training in the sector as they became increasingly concerned they are being sent to more complex Ambulance Victoria cases without the necessary skills or equipment.

“The guys are really worried something is going to happen that might result in the death or serious injury of a patient,” Ms Bartasek said.

She said the employees would take rolling stop work action until the company “came back to the negotiating table”.

Ambulance drivers and attendants have walked off the job demanding better pay and conditions.

Ms Bartasek said many employees worked out of “stations” which were just open air carparks, with metal cupboards that housed the drugs and other equipment.

“Better policing of the industry is another issue we are fighting for in the agreements,” she said.

She said she believed the stop-work would have a flow-on effect and impact Ambulance Victoria call-outs today.

As well as cover non-urgent Ambulance Victoria call outs the private ambulance sector transport’s patients to hospital for appointments and check-ups.

National Patient Transport workers are often dispatched to Ambulance Victoria jobs which are not considered high-risk or life threatening.

The sector is also used as a back-up to help transport patients in a mass-casualty event.

Ambulance Victoria chief operating officer Mark Rogers said it had been assured mitigation measures were in place “and that there will be minimal impact on services.”

National Patient Transport chief executive Jeff Wilson said it would put its offer to a staff vote next week.

“We believe our offer is the best in the industry and we are encouraging all our staff members to support it.”