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News Feature

Ambulance strike averted

Date Released: 28 Mar 2008

The threat of industrial action by the country’s 1,200 paramedics has been averted, following intensive negotiations with the HSE Employers Agency and health service unions last night.

According to SIPTU’s National Industrial Secretary, Matt Merrigan, the industrial action planned for April 7, 2008 will not now go ahead.

“The HSE Employers Agency, and the health unions reached agreement on the terms of the ambulance adjudication which will see an additional 180 paramedics commence training in 2008.

“Agreement was also reached in respect of the utilisation of agency/external service providers under revised procurement arrangements, with agreed monitoring facilities.

“The Irish Ambulance Representative Council considered the proposals and felt that they had dealt with the major issues which led to the serving of notice of industrial action.

“The precise terms of the agreement will be written up over the week-end.

“The Union is happy that there was no disruption to the provision of ambulance services the public,” he concluded.

Editor’s Note:

The dispute concerns the HSE’s unilateral decision to sign contracts with three private ambulance service providers in contravention of an existing agreement between the HSE and its ambulance personnel that no such action would be taken without their prior acceptance.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 





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