Petition in support of Ambulance Professionals accepted

A 14,000-strong petition in support of Ambulance Professional’s call to be recognised for the work they do has been submitted to parliament alongside a petition that requests urgent funding earmarked for wages (see section A of attached document).

NZ First MP Darroch Ball accepted the petitions which were tabled in parliament this afternoon.

The petition is part of the Ambulance Professionals First Shift Our Pay campaign that seeks shift recognition for night and weekend work and for better recognition of the education and responsibility of Ambulance Professional roles.

The partial strike actions of around 1000 ambulance officers are piling up for St John as it continues to refuse to acknowledge ambulance officer’s concerns. There are currently around 20 partial strike actions in place and all have been designed to cause disruption to St John processes while keeping patient safety paramount. A new partial strike action begins tonight at midnight that includes a refusal to do station duties and portfolios, together with a disruption to auditing paperwork.

Today follows the current Health Minister Dr David Clark’s refusal to meet with ambulance workers and listen to the evidence of the crisis in the service. However the Minister for Workplace Relations, Iain Lees-Galloway, will be meeting with ambulance professionals and union officials later this afternoon.

First Union organiser Sarah Stone says they’re thankful to NZ First for taking ambulance professionals claims seriously.

“The fact that the NZ First accepted and tabled our petition and the Deputy Prime Minister met with an ambulance officer to hear about the crisis gives us hope. We thank them for the time and support they have given us”

“We really hope that whilst the work on the long term funding bid continues, some emergency funding comes our way in this budget. Morale is at an all-time low and we can’t continue with this staffing and skills shortage. It’s not fair on ambulance officers and the people of New Zealand need an ambulance service that is able to deliver for them.”

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