Hato Hone St John Ambulance Officers who are members of First Union and the Ambulance Association (NZAA) have given notice of an intention to withdraw their labour on the 20^th and 24^th August. The notice is for a four-hour strike from the 4am start of shift on the 20^th August to be repeated on the 24^th August.

The unions have stated their members are frustrated with the lack of progress in bargaining and are feeling devalued and demoralised, they are understaffed and over worked, and increasingly concerned about the impact on patient and staff welfare. Recent media reports have included screen shots of urgent requests for staffing for vacant shifts.   Our members see first-hand the dire shortage of Hato Hone St John ambulance career officers with FENZ firefighters responding to approximately 98% of all out-of-hospital-cardiac arrest and medical response calls rising every year.  

• NZPFU members are urged to support the ambulance officers in their bid for safe staffing which requires reasonable pay.
• We will keep you posted if the strike action proceeds so that off-duty members can wear NZPFU merchandise and take their flags down to any nearby picket or event in support of the First Union and NZAA members.

The Employment Relations Act sets out very limited circumstances where the employer of the striking workers can employ or engage staff to undertake the work of the striking workers for the duration of the strike.

NZPFU members cannot be required or compelled to change the way they perform medical response in order to undertake the work of the striking ambulance officers.  NZPFU members are only to be deployed and respond to medical response calls as they are now.

In unity,
Wattie Watson
National Secretary