Labour unions plan strikes for ambulance workers

LABOUR unions CCOO and CSIF have organised two ambulance worker strikes due to the recent changes in the way they will work. 

The strikes are planned to take place on August 21 and 23, and September 4 and 6. The Andalucian Health Service (SAS) and company Ambulancias Quevedo have recently reorganised the workforce, which will suppress on-site ambulances duties, allowing workers to stay at home or continue their daily activities under the condition that they be available to work when they receive an emergency call. When they receive the call, they will have to go to the health centre, pick up the ambulance and go to where the patient is. According to union spokespeople “this will slow down the response to emergency calls for town residents and visitors,” which will “risk human lives.”

The two unions have also jointly denounced that with this measure 23 ambulances drivers “have lost their jobs,” and that 33 others “have had their full time contracts reduced to part time, which means their salaries will be under €600 a month after taxes.”