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St John Ambulance staff voted in favor of the strike after disputes over pay and shift work.
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The union says St John is withholding his agreed shift pay and proposing pay cuts for fully funded jobs. Source: 1 NEWS
First Union says staff will stop working on November 25 after St John backtracked from their agreement to introduce shift pay and recognize night and weekend work.
“At the time, St John said they couldn’t afford the pay, so the workers agreed to a start date of July 1, 2020,” says First Union organizer Sarah Stone.
“In mid-June of this year, St John claimed again that they still couldn’t afford it, but two weeks ago they received a funding increase of $ 28 million per year from the Government, which more than covers the cost of shift pay.
“However, St John still refuses to pay the agreed fee.”
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Chief Executive Peter Bradley assured the public that an ambulance would also be available for those in life-threatening situations. Source: 1 NEWS
The proposal to cut the salary of emergency medical dispatchers and those who receive calls by $ 10,000 per year and the elimination of the minimum level of personnel, hours and places are the other reasons the union cited for taking labor action.
“Union members are concerned that a simple reference to ‘online lists’ does not offer the same protection as having them written in the collective bargaining agreement. Members are deeply concerned that it could also result in public safety problems,” says Stone .
“There has been an erosion of the capacity of emergency ambulances in various places despite increasing demand year after year, and ambulance professionals consider it only a matter of time before it costs even more lives.”
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1 NEWS understands that the charity applied for the Covid-19 wage subsidy but was rejected. Source: 1 NEWS
Stone says the staff wants St John to abide by the agreement he signed with the staff.
“Shift pay was agreed last year with broad public and political support across all parties.
“Union members tell us that they are taking this action because they are tired of the total disrespect that St John shows.”
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern was asked about the strike in her post-Cabinet speech this afternoon.
“We have been responding to some of the funding issues that St John faces. We did so in the last term of government recognizing that as a result of a number of quirks in the system, they have never been fully funded by any government, but we have a greater support for.
“I have to be mindful not to get into a pay dispute,” he said.
When asked about the emergency services available during the strike, Ardern said: “I would hope that the service would be maintained and that is critical, together with St John, to ensure that the service is maintained.”
Talks continue between the union and St John.
1 NEWS has contacted St John for comment.
