NATIONAL AMBULANCE SERVICE workers of the trade union Unite will be balloted to decide on whether to take industrial action after a decision to outsource some inter-hospital transfers. 

The inter-hospital transfers that are to outsourced to a private operator are in the Greater Dublin Area.

NAS management initiated a tendering process without consulting the relevant unions, Unite said in a statement. The tendering process followed recent proposals to reduce minimum paramedic crewing levels in emergency ambulances, which were rejected by unions.

It said that, given they weren’t told about the outsourcing of work in the east, they are now concerned that similar plans may be underway in other regions without them knowing.

SIPTU and Unite are calling on the service to cease outsourcing and instead increase staffing levels.

Preparation for the ballot will begin tomorrow by both unions.

General secretary of the trade union, Sharon Graham, said that Unite’s members “will not tolerate” threats to patient safety or workers’ terms and conditions “in order to plug staffing gaps”. She said the Unite members have the union’s full support. 

Regional officer Eoin Drummey said that unions have been left with no option but to ballot for industrial action. He said the responsibility rests with the Department of Health and the HSE to provide the NAS with the resources it needs to guarantee patient safety. 

“Unless the outsourcing proposal is withdrawn immediately, our members will be compelled to escalate this dispute,” he added.