Staff reject latest offer to tackle ambulance meal breaks

GMB Scottish Ambulance staff have rejected a revised offer on meal breaks and the union has called on the Scottish Government to insist that ambulances are treated as an emergency service.

The matter has come to a head after the death of Miss Mandy Mathieson, (33), at her home in Tomintoul last October following a heart attack.

Trainee technician Owen McLachlan did not respond to the emergency call from ambulance control in Inverness despite being 800 yards away in the ambulance station, as he was on a rest break at the time.

A crew based 15 miles away in Grantown had to attend the call instead.

Union leaders had recommended that the offer was accepted by their members following the latest ballot.

The GMB union is one of three which represents members of the service, the other two being Unite and Unison who have yet to announce the results.

A spokesman for the GMB said: "The Scottish Government must realise that when people in Scotland call an ambulance in an emergency it should turn up and that meal breaks should not come into it in any way.

The proposal was for a lump sum payment amounting to £4.80 per week to agree to be available during meal breaks and a payment of £50 per occasion they are called out to respond to an emergency during an assigned meal break.

However, the deal was rejected by 82% of GMB members in the Scottish Ambulance Service.

Union leaders said it failed to resolve the core problem which is that staff should be available at all times to serve the Scottish public as was the case until it was changed some years ago.

Mr Mick Conroy, senior organiser GMB Scotland, said "GMB members have again voted by 82% to reject the latest offer from management as it does not deal with the core of the problem which is that the members want to be on duty at all times to serve the Scottish public.

"GMB’s position is that this issue is not about pay it is about ensuring that the Scottish Ambulance Service has the resources and the policies to provide a proper emergence service to the people of Scotland.

"The Scottish Ambulance Service is currently classed as an essential service. It should be upgraded to an emergency service as are fire and police services in Scotland and as it is in England.

"That would mean that staff are on duty at all times for the whole of their shift and would not be stood down off duty for meal breaks like now. This is not rocket science.

"The Scottish Government must realise that when people in Scotland call an ambulance in an emergency it should turn up and that meal breaks should not come into it in any way.

"A major mistake was made when the old system where staff were on duty at all times that was replaced at the insistence of management with the current arrangements whereby staff are stood down from duty during meal breaks.

"The proposal to pay a lump sum of £250 per annum for full time staff and pro rata for part time staff plus a £50 activation payment for responding to an emergency call during their assigned meal break has now been overwhelmingly rejected by GMB members."

GMB said they want to see further negotiations on the matter and want to see the Scottish Government involved in the talks.

Mr Conroy said: "The people of Scotland can rest assured that GMB like them want an ambulance service delivering the quality of service they expect and that this is the number one priority for GMB in the Scottish Ambulance service."

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