St John Ambulance staff and First Union cancel planned strike action

Ambulance officers had planned to strike tomorrow and again on Saturday but have withdrawn their strike notice today. Photo / Supplied

St John Ambulance staff and First Union have cancelled planned strike action because a pay review agreement has been reached with the St John Board.

Ambulance officers had planned to strike tomorrow and again on Saturday but have withdrawn their strike notice today, due to the agreement which is subject to ratification.

In a joint statement, the parties said full emergency ambulance services would be in operation and the public should continue to call 111 for an ambulance as usual.

The new agreement will see the full implementation of the independent pay review commissioned by St John. It ensures no staff member will earn less than they would have from a previous agreement to implement 25 per cent penal rates for nights and weekends for a transitional period.

The St John Board has approved the executive team's request to increase the ambulance service operating deficit by a further $1 million to enable the settlement.

Concerns raised during bargaining about pay progression for existing call handlers and dispatchers have also been resolved as part of the offer, the statement said.

First Union's transport, logistics and manufacturing secretary, Jared Abbott, described the settlement as "an excellent outcome" for all staff.

"This is a fair offer that will see a number of staff receive significant pay adjustments to reflect their skills while ensuring that everyone benefits," Abbott said.

"The settlement is the first step in rebuilding the relationship between the parties and will allow staff to refocus on their key priority of providing a safe and effective ambulance service."

A spokesperson from St John said it was pleased to have been able to avoid strike action for the public while continuing constructive discussions with First Union colleagues to reach an agreement that suited all parties.

"We are very pleased to reward our people with the full implementation of the independent pay review. This is a historic and significant pay correction for our people."