The conflict between the government and the National Ambulance Service has been simmering for years. Last week, when union members in the NAS commenced a day of strikes, The Munster Express spoke to those on the picket line to try and understand their reason for taking collective action.
Throughout the conversation drivers sounded their horns in a show of support to the ambulance service employees on strike at the gates of University Hospital Waterford.
“If you were to call an ambulance 20 years ago, the level of training and skill and education involved has changed completely,” explained Sean Wade.
“Each year that’s passed our crews have taken on extra responsibilities. The role has changed completely in the last 20 years, to such an extent the any new entrants now are completing a degree course.
“Up to 8 or 9 years ago, Unions had been in talks with management regarding the change in the level of responsibility and work and had been looking for the pay to reflect those changes.”
Mr Wade explained the independent Crabtree-McHugh report was published in 2020, but its recommendations still have not been implemented
The Crabtree-McHugh report was commissioned by the HSE and the SIPTU/UNITE unions, to examine the EMT, Paramedic and Advanced Paramedic roles in the NAS. It was also intended to make recommendations regarding appropriate pay and grading structure.
“The recommendations within that report are enhanced salaries for all grades within the National Ambulance Service to reflect the changes in responsibilities and skill-sets that we have taken on board,” continued Mr Wade.
“The job is getting harder and harder in that we literally do not have enough crews on the road. There has been a lack of government support down through the years in getting the correct number of staff on the road.”
“The CEO of the National ambulance service has pointed out in various Dáil committees that our numbers need to be up around the 3,000 mark, and we are way off that.”
A government statement updated in 2025 claims there are over 2,300 staff in the NAS.
It was explained by those on strike that a lack of resources means ambulance service members are often expected to provide cover across the country. This means Waterford ambulances being sent to places like Cork, as 12 hour shifts regularly become 13 or 14 hour shifts with little notice.
Last week, The Munster Express reported on ambulances being sent from as far off as Laois to provide cover in Waterford.
Offer rejected
“Talks have been ongoing,” said Mr Wade. “There was a couple of proposals brokered. But the proposals that were sent out to our staff, and voted down by our staff comprehensively, contained too many changes to our terms and conditions for the amount of pay that were on the table for us.”
“The changes, and the modernisation that management were looking for was not worth what was on offer pay wise. Our staff want to be paid for all the changes we have undertaken over the last 10, 15 years, not get the pay to accept further changes.
“The changes have already happened in the last 10, 15 years.”
The NAS members also explained that advanced training had stopped likely due to the breakdown in negotiations with the government. Younger members on the picket line were taking the lead from those more senior, as they feared for the future of their career if a fair solution was not found.
“We do care about our job, we don't want to be here,” said John Wilson. “We’d rather be out on our ambulances responding to all levels of emergency calls, but we are just not being listened to."
Those on the picket line were willing to leave and attend work in the event of a serious emergency. The HSE also had a number of contingency plans in place.
This was a one-day action, but more days of strike are likely if negotiations do not succeed.
AARON KENT
Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme
