APA (NSW) Paramedics will continue their campaign of industrial action in response to a provisional wage increase offer that fails to increase real wages, and a lack of action on critical election promises to address the crumbling emergency healthcare system.
From Saturday 24 June to Friday 30 June, APA (NSW) Paramedics will refuse to enter patient billing information, refuse to report KPIs, and refuse to attend special events which would place their home station below minimum staffing levels. They will take an additional 24-hour action from Monday 26 June to Tuesday 27 June, by refusing to respond to non-emergency patient transfer jobs that could be otherwise taken by Patient Transport Officers or private providers.
APA (NSW) President Chris Kastelan says “Paramedics have no choice other than to escalate their industrial action in the face of a sorely disappointing provisional 4% pay offer from the NSW Government.”
“Paramedics made sure our communities were safe in the thick of an unprecedented pandemic, yet in real terms we’re being paid less than we were in 2017.”
“How can we stay silent when the number the Minns Government is floating doesn’t come even close to maintaining our real wages, let alone accounting for the massive increase in work Paramedics have faced since COVID.”
“We’re now haemorrhaging great Paramedics to other states. If QLD is offering $20k bonuses for new Paramedics, but we can’t even get a real pay rise, how can this government think it will retain the health workers it desperately needs?”
The union says that since COVID, Paramedics saw their real wages plummet while the cost of living skyrocketed. Last year saw the highest attrition numbers of NSW Paramedic numbers in over a decade. With only a week until the current Award lapses on June 30, the Union says they still have not received a formal offer from NSW Health for a wage increase.
Mr Kastelan continues “The people of NSW are getting emergency ambulances slower than they did over a decade ago, and they’re waiting for longer in bed block.”
“The system is in crisis, everything is going backwards.”
“Considering this government was elected on promises of more regional specialist Paramedics, a fair pay increase, and the increasing of Patient Transport Officers numbers, it’s deeply disappointing that we haven’t seen any of these implemented yet.”
“We will continue to stand up for Paramedics and the NSW community until these absolutely critical changes are made.”
