Ambulance worker strike: Hawke’s Bay staff to take action over pay, conditions and funding concerns

About 20 Hawke's Bay ambulance officers will strike on Saturday as part of a larger national movement. Photo / Paul Taylor

A Hawke’s Bay contingent of about 20 Hato Hone St John ambulance staff will participate in widespread national strike action on Saturday amid concerns over their pay and overall funding for the service.

New Zealand Ambulance Association (NZAA) secretary Mark Quin said local working conditions had “not been great”, leaving staff “tired, broken and with low morale”.

“[This] has created the situation where staff have not wanted to do recalls on their days off, leading to ambulances being dropped because of sick calls and nobody available to man them, which then puts increasing pressure on the crews that are on shift and delays in responding to patients,” he said.

The NZAA and First Union both said the strike came after Hato Hone St John failed to offer a pay raise, and the Government could not confirm any funding increase for the service.

In a statement, the NZAA wrote that the St John offer to workers last Thursday fell well short of what the unions considered acceptable.

“We have communicated to St John we will meet face-to-face anytime and anywhere prior to the strike action to try and move forward since they have found some funding from Health New Zealand.”

Hawke’s Bay-based New Zealand Ambulance Association (NZAA) and First Union members will withdraw labour for four hours from the start of their shifts, from 4am on Saturday until 4am on Sunday.

Quin said responding to low-acuity jobs – coded oranges and greens – on Saturday in Hawke’s Bay would be delayed.

“Emergency calls classed at purples and reds will still receive a response under agreed life-preserving measures.”

A primary concern among staff has been a lack of resourcing for ambulances and primary healthcare. Quin said this meant the current systems needed to be changed.

“[We need] funding for more relief staff, funding for extra ambulance and staffing, and increased resources in primary health so the general public is able to see doctors and nurses instead of call an ambulance for low-acuity health needs.”

St John’s deputy chief executive of ambulance operations, Dan Ohs, previously told RNZ that St John had been bargaining with the unions since the beginning of this year after the expiry of the Ambulance Operations Multi-Union Collective Agreement last November.

He said it had been working with Health New Zealand and ACC to secure additional funding to resolve outstanding bargaining claims.

“We have made two separate offers that have attempted to pass on available funding, but to date, these have fallen short of union expectations.”

Ohs said people should continue to call 111 in emergency situations.

“In agreement with our union partners, we’ve agreed a minimum level of resource that Hato Hone St John will provide.

“In those peak periods of the strike, 70% of the usual number of ambulances will be available.”