The clock is counting down towards Melbourne’s first ambulance strike in over 30 years.

Last week 300 members of the Ambulance Employees Association voted to stop work in a month if the Metropolitan Ambulance Service doesn’t meet their concerns over rostering.

Paramedics are angry that they are being forced to start work shifts all over Melbourne with no nottice.

“Paramedics have had enough,” Ambulance Employees Association secretary Steve McGhie [told the Herald Sun ]

“After a 10-hour shift or a 14-hour night shift plus overtime they are expected to drive from one side of Melbourne to the other in order to get home.

“Their kids and families are suffering and fatigue is a threat to their safety.”….
….“Imagine turning up for work at Maroondah and being sent to Laverton and being expected to finish the shift at Laverton before trying to get back to the other side of Melbourne,” he said.

“Finding child care to fit into this is impossible and getting enough sleep between shifts is really difficult.”

This mess needs to be sorted out quickly. Labor must guarantee that there will no disruption to Melbourne’s ambulance service. The buck stops with Bronwyn Pike.