Ambulance professionals find St John’s offer “insulting”

Last night St John proposed an offer of settlement to unions in parts of the lower North Island and South Island that would, if agreed to, lead to an increase in the use of volunteer ambulance officers in Auckland.

The offer was made to the four smaller unions that have not been engaged in industrial action. The territory for those unions span parts of the lower North Island and the South Island, but the terms of St John’s offer include Auckland.

Ambulance Professionals First, the network within FIRST Union for ambulance officers, represents approximately 850 ambulance officers, mostly in the upper and central North Island.

St John’s offer to the smaller unions includes staffing Auckland ambulances with volunteers.

At the moment all ambulances in the Auckland urban area are fully-crewed with fully-qualified ambulance professionals.

Ambulance Professionals First spokesperson Lynette Blacklaws said the union is concerned about the safety of ambulance staff and the public if work currently performed by highly qualified paramedics is instead covered by unpaid volunteers.

“We love volunteers, they help save lives every day, but we need more fully-qualified crews not less” said Blacklaws.

“St John are being opportunistic in responding to concerns around understaffing by attempting to de-skill Auckland ambulance crews.”

ENDS

© Scoop Media