Thursday 18 th July - Over 500 ambulance personnel members of the Psychiatric Nurses Association (PNA) will strike for 24 hours from 2 p.m. tomorrow (Friday, 19 th July) in pursuit of their demand for the right to be represented by the PNA as the union of their choice

This is the second 24-hour PNA ambulance branch strike throughout the country, involving paramedics, advanced paramedics and emergency medical technicians, and will remain in place until 2 p.m. on Saturday.

Peter Hughes, PNA General Secretary, said once again the HSE had refused to engage in normal industrial relations protocol of agreeing contingency planning where notice is given of industrial action involving the emergency services.

“As PNA ambulance personnel members demonstrated at their recent protest outside Dail Eireann, they are not prepared to surrender their right to be members of, and represented by the union of their choice.  Having campaigned for 18 months for this fundamental right, the resolve and determination of these PNA members is as strong as ever and they are fully supported by the wider PNA membership and a growing number of trade unionists from the wider trade union movement.'

‘Despite growing support for our campaign from the public and from across the political spectrum the HSE has continued to ignore all calls for this issue to be resolved through the WRC and by negotiation. Meanwhile, ambulance personnel are being forced onto the picket lines again tomorrow to secure a basic workplace right that should be open to all workers who want to join, and be represented by, the union of their choice.'

Media Contact ; Jim Devlin 087 2631057