Tipperary 24-hour work stoppage now over but ambulance service chaos set to continue
Further work stoppages are scheduled for 19th May and 26th May, with further action planned during June
The 24-hour work stoppage by ambulance workers throughout Tipperary is now over, but more chaos is expected to follow unless the industrial dispute is resolved with the HSE.
Ambulance crew took to the picket lines on Tuesday to protest at the failure of the HSE to implement agreed pay recommendations. The 24-hour work stoppage by SIPTU members saw a significant reduction in the number of ambulances on duty in Tipperary over a 24-hour period.
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The ambulance staff took action out of sheer frustration that their qualifications, responsibilities, and workload, which have increased significantly over recent years, have not been reflected in pay.
“We have been trying to get recognition and fair pay for the last 20 years,” said Tony Murray, SIPTU shop steward in Clonmel. Their frustration is compounded by the use of the dynamic data-driven national call system, which takes ambulances away from their base.
"Daily, we are being taken away from our own community and the people that we joined up to serve. We are leapfrogging from county to county, going to Cork, Kerry, Limerick, and further afield, leaving people in Tipperary unprotected,” said the SIPTU representative.
The industrial action by SIPTU members saw a significant reduction in the number of ambulances on duty in Tipperary over a 24-hour period
Normally, there are four ambulances on duty in Clonmel, two in Cashel, and two in Tipperary Town. The 24-hour work stoppage, which began at 8am on Tuesday morning, meant there was only one ambulance on duty in Clonmel, one in Cashel, and one in Tipperary Town during the day, but none at night.
Approximately 2,000 SIPTU members of the National Ambulance Service (NAS) implemented the work stoppage for a 24-hour period.
The action arises from the HSE's failure to implement the recommendations of an independent report on updating ambulance workers’ pay scales to reflect changes in their responsibilities and workloads over the last 20 years.
Further work stoppages are scheduled for 19th May and 26th May, with further action planned during June.
The dispute involves SIPTU members working as emergency medical technicians, paramedics, advanced paramedics, specialist paramedics, and paramedic supervisors. SIPTU represents around 90% of the NAS personnel who are participating in the industrial action.
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“This battle for recognition is very frustrating, as we have turned the ambulance service from a patient transport service into a practitioner-led service. We bring emergency care to homes, to the side of the road, and wherever it is needed on what can possibly be the worst day of people’s lives. We deal with every emergency on the spot, and the upskilling and significantly increased workload need to be recognised by the HSE,” said Tony Murray, SIPTU shop steward in Clonmel.