Siptu members in ambulance service to ballot for strike action

Ambulance staff are to be balloted for strike action. Picture: Larry Cummins

Siptu members in the National Ambulance Service (NAS) have begun a ballot for strike action in a dispute regarding the "failure of the HSE to fully implement a series of reforms which would benefit this vital public service."

Earlier this year, the situation was described as at a "breaking point" — with an estimated 2,000 more staff needed to meet demand.

The HSE had been urged to introduce the recommendations made in an independent Roles and Responibilities report, which had been jointly commissioned in 2018 by NAS, Siptu, and the HSE.

The report made several recommendations to address recruitment and retention issues, including the introduction of new grades of staff, new job descriptions, and the upskilling of existing staff.

To date, the recommendations of the report has not been implemented — and Siptu will ballot their members for strike action over the next week and a half.

Siptu sector organiser Ted Kenny said: "This report provides for a proposed new structure for the service, which includes revised pay scales for our members. 

"Following months of intensive, local engagement on this issue with NAS management, our representatives are deeply concerned that it is yet to be implemented."

He continued: "Our members have fully co-operated with the plan drawn up by management to develop the service and they expect commitments concerning new grades and pay scales which were made to them to be met. 

"Our members will not accept any deviation from the reality that it is management’s function to secure the necessary funding to deliver the agreed vision for the service. This includes any payments arising to staff as part of their overall restructuring plan."

Mr Kenny confirmed that the ballot for strike action will conclude on Thursday, May 4.

The need for extra staff is also driven by Sláintecare plans to treat more people at home instead of hospitals where it is safe to do so.

There are currently around 2,000 staff including 1,900 paramedics, emergency dispatchers, critical care nurses and other emergency roles employed.

By 2051 the number of people aged over 65 in Ireland is expected to hit almost 1.6m.