Ambulance workers withdraw labour

AMBULANCE workers in Kilkenny abandoned their fleets yesterday morning (responding to 999 calls only) in protest over changes in their working terms which they say were enforced by their health board.

The unofficial action by 17 SIPTU members which began at 7am yesterday was spurred by the manner in which the South Eastern Health Board decided it was to privatise runs to Dublin with non-emergency patients from the region.

Ambulance crews in the region had brought patients to the capital for non-emergency services such as specialist X-rays and tests. These ambulance runs have now ceased.