Hato Hone St John is focused on contingency planning ahead of FIRST Union members’ planned strike action this Friday, September 27, and Monday, September 30.
Hato Hone St John received formal notification from FIRST Union that members, including both ambulance personnel and Ambulance Communications Centre staff, will withdraw labour for six hours, from the start of their shifts on 27 September, with a second strike planned for 30 September.
Stu Cockburn, Hato Hone St John General Manager Ambulance Operations, says the ambulance service's top priority is always the safety and wellbeing of our patients.
“We are working to ensure that our contingency plans will effectively meet patient needs during the strike,” Mr Cockburn says.
Hato Hone St John expects the impact to be primarily in the Auckland region, and some parts of Waikato and the Bay of Plenty.
“Like other essential services critical to public health and safety, our ambulance personnel and Ambulance Communications Centre staff are required to provide Life Preserving Services (LPS) during this period.
“We have been working to ensure we can continue to respond to patients with life-threatening and time-critical conditions and remain committed to keeping the public and our stakeholders informed as we navigate this next round of industrial action.
"As the New Zealand Ambulance Association division of the Amalgamated Workers’ Union New Zealand (NZAA/AWUNZ) – the larger of our two unions – has accepted the Hato Hone St John pay offer and is not participating in strike action, we expect this strike to cause less disruption for patients than the strikes that took place last month (August)."
ENDS
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Hato Hone St John media team
PH: 0800 756 334 | E: media@stjohn.org.nz