SIPTU representatives have referred a dispute concerning the movement of 13 paramedic interns from ambulance stations in Dublin and the north-east to the south of the country, to the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC). SIPTU Organiser, John McCamley, said: “The management of the National Ambulance Service (NAS) has refused to formally engage with union representatives on this issue. The staff in question had been allocated to the Dublin and the north-east region over a month ago. Several had made arrangements with regards to renting places to live, childcare and school placements based on this allocation. “The decision of management to move these staff has created a number of challenges with some facing long journeys across the length of the country to their new ambulance stations. Several face a decision on whether to relocate entirely to the south of the country. The movement of these staff was made without any engagement with SIPTU representatives and is not in line with the normal procedure that once paramedic interns are allocated to a region they remain there for a year.” He added: “The movement of these paramedic interns is both unfair and unreasonable particularly given that the they have volunteered in recent weeks to carry out roles for the NAS in order to assist with the provision of services during the Covid-19 crisis. “Senior management in NAS have given no indication that it has considered the challenges faced by these staff as a result of their relocation. We are calling on the management of NAS to reverse this decision as a matter of urgency.”
SIPTU refers dispute over movement of paramedic interns to the WRC
