Hato Hone St John Statement On Industrial Action

Hato Hone St John (HHStJ) has plans in place to ensure
life-threatening emergencies will be attended to with
minimal disruption during this week’s strike by ambulance
personnel.

HHStJ received formal notification from
First Union and the Amalgamated Workers Union New Zealand
Inc (NZAA division) that their members will withdraw labour
for four hours from the commencement of their shifts on 20
August and again on 24 August.

Dan Ohs, Hato Hone St
John Deputy Chief Executive – Ambulance Operations, says
patient safety remains their focus and HHStJ is doing all it
can to reduce the impact on patients during the strike
period.

“Be assured we have plans in place to
provide emergency care during this
time.”

“Remember if you have an emergency, you
should still dial 111. If your call is not immediately life
threatening, there may be a delay, or you may be asked to
self-transport to a medical facility if it is considered
safe for you to do so.”

“For all non-emergencies
we are asking people to contact Healthline, their GP, or
their local pharmacy in the first instance.”

Like
other essential health services, ambulance services are
covered by the Life Preserving Services framework, which
requires ambulance providers and unions to work
constructively to maintain core services that prevent a
serious threat to life or permanent disability during strike
action.

“To maintain a safe level of
service, union members will return to work to cover gaps
that we have been unable to cover by non-striking ambulance
personnel. Both First and NZAA Unions have worked with us to
ensure this occurs”.

HHStJ has been in
bargaining with the unions since the beginning of this year,
following the Ambulance Operations Multi-Union Collective
Agreement (MUCA) expiring in November last year (2023) and
it has been working with its purchasers (Health New Zealand
and ACC) to secure additional funding to resolve outstanding
bargaining claims.

Mr Ohs says Hato Hone St John
supports the ambulance workforce’s calls for a pay rise
within reasonable market movement, but the unions ask is
greater than the available funding.

“We have made
two separate offers that have attempted to pass on available
funding, but to date these have fallen short of union
expectations.”

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