Striking St John ambos begin “events ban” from today – Unite Union

Approximately 1000 members of Ambulance Professionals First, the network within FIRST Union representing ambulance officers at St John, will refuse to staff summer events from today.

Two events that union members will not staff today are the Pascoe New Zealand Tennis Championship at the ASB Tennis Centre and Amy Schumer Live at Vector Arena.

The “events ban” strike comes after a “uniform ban” strike where Ambulance Professionals First members ditched their official uniforms for shirts and badges reading “Healthy Ambos Save Lives.”

The Healthy Ambos Save Lives campaign is aiming to highlight the growing work pressures ambulance officers are facing.

“Hundreds of ambulance officers have spoken out online and on the job about the appalling conditions that staff shortages and poor decisions by management have led to,” said Ambulance Professionals First spokesperson Lynette Blacklaws.

“Yet St John has dismissed their concerns, even though union membership has grown by almost 200 members since the campaign to highlight these issues started.”

In an email to the union St John Manager Paul Louis said the events ban has the potential to impact New Zealand communities over the summer period and some events may need to be cancelled.

However, Ambulance Professionals First understands St John will be staffing summer events with volunteers and first responders where paramedics refuse to provide cover.

“We’re encouraging event organisers over the summer to check whether St John is staffing their events with volunteers or trained paramedics. Event organisers may not be getting what they are paying for.”

“A potential shift to volunteers is actually part of a wider trend at St John. Instead of training and hiring more paramedics management is trying to introduce more volunteers when what the service needs more skilled staff, not less.”

The events ban runs until 6 February 2017.