Ambulance Workers’ Strike Reveals Government Hypocrisy

The government made a big deal about ambulances being deprived of fuel during last week’s fuel protests. But the biggest threat to the health service in this country has been the outsourcing and privatisation policies of successive governments.

Not to mention the fact that ambulance workers are now striking to get decent pay. There will be a work to rule on May 11th followed by a strike on May 12th. A 48-hour strike is planned from May 19th and a 72-hour strike is starting on May 26th.

The vast majority of workers backed action because of management’s failure to implement a 2020 review of roles and responsibilities, a culture of bullying by management and a 5% wage increase that was recommended under a benchmarking process has not been paid to the workers.

The strike action involves SIPTU members working as Emergency Medical Technicians, Paramedics, Advanced Paramedics, Specialist Paramedics and Paramedic Supervisors.

Workers represented by Unite will also join the action. A National Strike Committee, made up of worker representatives from Unite and SIPTU will decide on further rolling strike action from June 1st.

Every worker and union member needs to get behind these workers and help them win. While paramedics are grossly underpaid the heads of the HSE are grossly overpaid with HSE head Anne O’Connor alone getting €402,156.

Cut the wages of the bureaucrats, raise the wages of the workers. This all shows why we need a health service that’s run by workers not bloated bureaucrats. A planned economy with workers in the driving seat would improve life for patients, workers, everyone.