Ambulance staff hint at strike action in dispute over shift overtime and staff shortages
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AMBULANCE staff in the Highlands have floated the possibility of strike action in a dispute over “extreme shift overruns” and added pressures caused by a shortage of staff.
Unite the union today confirmed that just under 75 per cent of members working at the North Division of the Scottish Ambulance Service (SAS) had given the union a mandate to move towards a legal industrial ballot, if required.
The announcement comes following a meeting between union and SAS management representatives in Aberdeen.
Unite said its “concerns at the severity of the situation” were acknowledged and both sides had agreed to reconvene in a month’s time in order to monitor the effect of remedial steps before any further action by Unite is considered.
The unions said its dispute centres on shift overruns, capacity falling short of demand and excessive vacancies causing a reliance on overtime.
It said that in the Highlands, Islands and Grampian, one SAS employee had worked up to 36 hours and another 23 hours in a shift that should only last 12 hours.
Tommy Campbell, Unite regional industrial officer, said: “The resolution of our members working in Highland and Islands, and Grampian as demonstrated in the consultative ballot result is rock-solid.
“Following a productive meeting with SAS management where our concerns were acknowledged, Unite has agreed to postpone any further steps until we see if the remedial steps being put in place do as we hope.
“Both parties will meet again in a month’s time but if there is no progress, based on the mandate we have been given, all options are now on the table.”
A survey in 2017 of ambulance workers carried out by Unite found that 54.3 per cent suffer from stress. A further 94.5 per cent have said morale has worsened. 91.4 per cent said that staffing levels were insufficient and 90.4 per cent said they were suffering from fatigue.
