Ambulance staff to ballot for strike action in row over negotiation rights with HSE

Ambulance staff who are members of the National Ambulance Service Representative Association (NASRA) are to ballot for industrial action up to and including strikes in a dispute with the HSE over negotiation rights.

Last week the HSE threatened to injunct the organisation on foot of previous plans for industrial action over a refusal by the HSE to deduct union subscriptions at source.

NASRA is a branch of the Psychiatric Nurses Association (PNA) .

However the HSE does not recognise either NASRA or the PNA for negotiation purposes for ambulance staff grades.

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PNA general secretary Peter Hughes said "it was clear from the obstruction and intimidation by the HSE that it was trying to stop the work and expansion of NASRA, and force ambulance personnel throughout the country to remain in another union that they do not want to be part of".

“NASRA was established as a branch of the PNA for ambulance service personnel eight years ago, and has grown incrementally and successfully represented members at industrial relations fora. It is obvious now that the HSE is attempting to stop the growth of the NASRA branch by refusing to facilitate payroll deductions of subscriptions, or negotiate with NASRA as an established branch of the PNA trade union.

"In introducing a new restriction last November to the established practice of facilitating payroll deductions of union subscriptions for new NASRA members, and in threatening a High Court injunction, it is clear that the HSE objective is to frustrate the development of NASRA as a legitimate union branch of PNA representing growing numbers of ambulance personnel ."

The PNA said it was again calling on the HSE to engage with it in order to resolve the issues.