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MEDIA ALERT

WHEN: TODAY 2 pm Friday 7 May 2021

WHERE: United Workers Union office – 38 Woods Street, Darwin (Level 2)

WHAT: St John Ambulance paramedics, emergency medical dispatchers and patient transport officers expose a toxic workplace, disregard for staff welfare and lack of training in United Workers Union member survey. 2021 survey results highlight significant concerns of ambulance workers which have been ignored by the private contractor St John Ambulance NT and Government.

WHO: St John Ambulance Paramedics and United Workers Union spokesperson Erina Early will address the media on the survey results and the need for the service to be brought back into public hands.

Quotes attributable to United Workers Union Northern Territory Secretary Erina Early:

“The outcomes of this survey should send a chill down every Territorian and reinforces the fact that no emergency services should be privatised. It’s time to listen to the strong voices of our NT paramedics, emergency medical dispatchers and patient transport officers as they call for the ambulance service to be brought back into public hands.”

Key findings

  • 78% have not been provided training or professional development, instead paying for their own training in the last two years.

  • 44% have been bullied, harassed, or targeted by management because they engaged in protected industrial action during the current enterprise agreement negotiations.

  • 64% feel there is a toxic workplace and senior management allows this toxicity to thrive.

  • 81% feel St John Ambulance NT puts profit motives before the fatigue of workers.

  • 78% feel staff welfare is ignored in regional centres due to the current on-call rosters and the lack of fatigue management.

  • 56% have no confidence at all in St John NT providing effective leadership and clinical oversight in relation to pre-hospital care to the NT population.

  • 52% disagree that St John Ambulance NT conducted effective and appropriate infection control training in preparation for and during COVID-19.

  • 73% feel St John NT only cares about their public image to the detriment of the ambulance service and staff.

  • 86% feel the NT government and opposition does not care about the issues facing the NT Ambulance service and its employees.

  • 78% support bringing the NT ambulance service back into public hands as no emergency service should be privatised.

The interim report on the survey findings will be available at the press conference. A final report will be provided to the Northern Territory Government in coming weeks.

ENDS

Media Contact: 1300 898 633, [email protected]