Thursday, 18th April - Ambulance personnel members of the Psychiatric Nurses Association (PNA) meeting in Mullingar today agreed to escalate theirindustrial action with a rolling series of 24 hour strikes in pursuit of their right to join and be represented by the PNA as the union of their choice. Dates for the series of 24- hour national ambulance strikes will be confirmed at the PNA Annual Delegate Conference on May 2nd. PNA ambulance personnel will also mount a second protest at Dail Eireann on May 15th.

Peter Hughes, PNA General Secretary, said to move industrial action to 24- hourstrikes is a clear and determined message to the HSE that the resolve of ambulance personnel to win the right to be represented by PNA, a recognised trade union with over 40 years’ experience representing workers in healthcare, is undiminished.

‘Once again in the face of the HSE’s effort to force over 500 PNA ambulance branch members (including paramedics, advanced paramedics and emergency medical technicians) to give up their right to be members, and be represented by their trade union, our members must escalate their industrial action to secure a fundamental right available to workers throughout the country.’

‘As this dispute moves to a more serious and disruptive level of industrial action it is time for politicians of all parties to demand that the HSE account for its actions in instigating a completely unnecessary dispute and its complete failure to address all efforts to resolve the dispute. The HSE must also be called to account for the clear waste of resources in its excessive use of legal and private ambulance services in its attempt to break this dispute.’

Media Contact: Derek Cunningham 086-2430535