Proposals intended to end a long-running dispute over grades, structures and work practices at the National Ambulance Service have been rejected by a majority of staff with two unions.
The row over wide-ranging changes sought by management, as part of what it regarded as a modernisation process, dates back more than seven years and has been the subject of various reviews.
The deal, brokered by the Labour Court and recommended for acceptance by Siptu and Unite unions, provided for increases to basic rates of pay and recognised paramedics as healthcare professionals. However, it was criticised by rank-and-file members as similar to 2023 proposals that were rejected by a substantial majority.
Opponents said a provision that reduced the minimum crewing standard for an ambulance from two paramedics to one plus a less qualified emergency medical technician (EMT) would affect public safety. They claimed the wider proposal and basic pay increases, offered in return for greater rostering flexibility and the loss of various premium payments, involved “complex restructuring with little real gain and significant trade-offs”.
READ MORE
Sixty-nine per cent of Siptu members and 80 per cent of staff affiliated with Unite (about 70 per cent overall) who voted are understood to have been against acceptance.
In a statement, the ambulance service said it has been notified of the vote outcome.
“Whilst management accepted the Labour Court recommendation, we respect the decision of Siptu and Unite members and remain fully committed to working with our trade union partners to resolve the current dispute through the established dispute resolution processes,” it said.
Sinn Féin health spokesperson David Cullinane said the ballot result served as renewed evidence of issues with ambulance service staff morale.
“Paramedics and EMTs are the backbone of our emergency response services,” he said. “They work tirelessly to save lives, but are rewarded with burnout, being overworked and under-supported.
“Despite the need for more paramedics and specialist paramedics, the 2025 HSE service plan has no budget to train advanced paramedics this year,” he said.
“The decision to reduce the number of paramedics or advanced paramedics on call-outs from two to one was a key factor in the rejection of the proposed changes, as well as staff burnout and late finishes due to receiving call-outs at the tail end of a shift,” he said
“The Minister for Health needs to show leadership and ensure patient safety and the welfare of paramedics is key in any changes in roles and responsibilities.”
