SIPTU Recommends Acceptance of Labour Court Proposals to Resolve National Ambulance Service Pay Dispute

SIPTU is set to recommend that its members accept the Labour Court's proposals, which aim to resolve a protracted pay dispute within the National Ambulance Service.

The proposals include significant pay increases for various roles, specifically emergency medical technicians, paramedics, specialist paramedics, and paramedic supervisors. SIPTU has also confirmed that the Labour Court's recommendation safeguards the majority of existing terms and conditions for ambulance personnel.

John McCamley, SIPTU Ambulance Sector Organiser, hailed the proposals as a «major breakthrough» in the dispute. He stated, «This recommendation represents the culmination of a long process which now recognises the upskilling, changes and workload undertaken by union members over the last 15 to 20 years.» McCamley further emphasized that it is a «vindication of our members' determination to seek pay justice and respect from the HSE.»

The dispute previously led to a 24-hour strike by frontline ambulance workers last month, which the HSE reported had a «significant impact» on services. Subsequent planned strikes were averted to facilitate discussions at the Labour Court. SIPTU and Unite had previously accused the HSE of failing to implement recommendations from an independent report concerning updates to staff salary scales, intended to reflect changes in responsibilities and workload. The HSE, in turn, noted that earlier proposals offering pay increases were rejected, though unions countered that these came with unacceptable conditions, including alterations to allowances.