Ambulance staff balloted over ‘dangerous’ new rest policies
AMBULANCE union bosses are balloting members over claims new rest policies are “discriminatory and dangerous”.
The official step – which could potentially lead to strike action – comes over a move to make South Western Ambulance Trust staff take their breaks wherever the nearest depot is.
The GMB union says these depots are often overcrowded and mean staff have been advised to carry food in their cabs.
The union has health and safety concerns over the new policy – including the risk of food poisoning due to a lack of chilled storage and loose food and drink containers posing a risk when travelling at speed responding to an emergency.
The union says it has told SWAST some staff with reasonable adjustments prescribed by occupational health must be exempt from the policy.
The ballot is due to close on May 17 and could see members balloted formally for strike action.
David McMullen, GMB regional organiser, said: “GMB believes this new policy is discriminatory under the Equality Act 2010. Workers face late or non-existent breaks; crews are not allowed to stop until they hand over their patients, often seven hours or more into their shifts or sometimes even an entire working day.
“GMB has submitted grievances on behalf of our members who have said they require a reasonable adjustment, but despite multiple communications from us, the trust has continually failed to respond. If trust management doesn’t
start engaging with us, I can only see this heading towards a strike which would see ambulance workers on the picket line.”
A spokesperson for South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust said: “The rest breaks and end of shift arrangements policy was developed in response to overwhelming feedback from colleagues who told us finishing their shift on time was their priority. It was approved and came into effect following agreement with Unison, our recognised union. More of our frontline colleagues are finishing on time and more people are getting their breaks as a result. This is about ensuring our people are not put at undue risk through working excessive hours or without appropriate rest breaks, and to improve patient safety. We have more than 90 ambulance stations across the South West and the agreement is that colleagues will take their breaks at the nearest station that has space. We continue to work on refining and implementing the policy fully and are committed to responding fully to any colleagues who raises a concern.”