St John ambulance staff to vote on unsociable work hours pay offer

Staff will vote on the offer to introduce shift payments for unsociable work hours. Photo / File

St John Ambulance staff will vote on an offer to introduce shift payments for their unsociable work hours following almost a year of negotiations.

The deal sees shift recognition equivalent to 5 per cent of an ambulance officer's annual salary this year, and an increase to 25 per cent in July 2020.

All hours worked by an officer between 6pm and 6am and all work on weekends would include additional payment.

"This is great news for a service that was struggling to attract and retain staff," Waikato-based St John paramedic Dorothy Johnston said.

"It gives us hope that there is still a path in St John. We are so grateful for the support of our members and union to be able to achieve this for everyone in the service."

Staff have taken part in over 30 partial strike actions which followed a ballot for the first full withdrawal of labour from ambulance officers in modern history.

In November 1000 St John staff went on strike, pleading for a pay rate which recognised their unsociable hours and the physical toll of the job.

Ambulance staff defaced vehicles in protest. Photo / Supplied

Nothing followed the strike actions and in February, Auckland ambulance staff defaced their own vehicles in protest at their working conditions.

Every ambulance driven by a First Union member was defaced using liquid chalk so the vehicles would not be permanently marked.

"It's up to each individual officer what to write, but they all know not to write anything derogatory," a paramedic who wanted to remain anonymous said at the time.

"We are trying to get the public to ask us questions or come and approach us, and how we haven't been listened to.

"And also trying to make them aware of lots of things, a lot of [the public] don't realise that a good majority of us are degree qualified."

However, after the offer was tabled, First Union spokeswoman Sarah Stone said the bargaining team were ecstatic after campaigning for a long time.

"They have had to put their lives in the public domain and fight every bit of the way to get St John to recognise their value," Stone said.

"This is a huge win for ambulance professionals and shows the power of workers acting collectively is still the best way to get real results."

Meetings will be held throughout the country over the next few weeks to allow members to discuss and vote on the offer.